stoode in their way as they came out from Pharaoh To whom they said the Lord looke vpon you and iudge for ye haue made our sauour to stinke before Pharaoh and before his Seruants in that ye haue put a sword in their hands to sley vs. A third euent of the ambassage of Moses and Aaron is this bitter expostulation of these Officers wherein as in a glasse most bright and cleare you sée the condition and lot of faithfull Ministers in this wretched world First the King and now the people accuse them as worthie of great reproofe both gréeuous to good minds but especiallie to be accused of their brethren when they doo as their dutie requireth O it is double gréeuous and euer was But thus was it euer and will bee euer and therefore praemonitus praemunitus forewarned forearmed and praeuisaiacula minus feriunt Darts espied before they come hurt lesse God giue vs patience loue still to them that loue not vs. Heere is great bitternes and yet vndeserued in this their spéech if you marke it and heere is great inconstancie compared with the Chapter before where they worshipped and welcommed these happy Messengers of a gracious God who saw their oppression and miserie and sent to helpe them But quae nocent docent things hurtfull instruct and giue wisedome While all is well good is the Minister and when the crosse commeth he and his doctrine though the truth of God is cause of all away with that and away with him The word which thou hast spoken to vs in the name of the Lord wee will not heare it of thee But wee will doo whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our owne mouth as to burne Incense to the Queene of Heauen and to poure out drinke offerings vnto her as we haue done both we our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the Cities of Iuda and in the streetes of Ierusalem now marke their reason for then had wee plenty of victuals and were well and felt no euill But since we left off to burne Incense to the Queene of Heauen and to poure out drinke offerings vnto her we haue had scarcenes of all things and haue beene consumed by the sword and by famine This is the stay of the multitude and this is the line they measure all things by their prosperitie in worldly matters and immunitie from trouble and affliction any wayes But it is a crooked rule if we hearken to God and he that will followe him must take vp his crosse and followe him when his good pleasure shal be so Take héede also by these mennes examples to expect deliuerance from any calamitie sooner and faster than God pleaseth For because of this they breake out in this sort against Gods Seruants they will not tarie the leasure of God but when themselues will and as they wil they must be deliuered A dangerous dealing and no way fit for them that are séekers and crauers 12. Wherefore Moses returned to the Lord and said Lord why hast thou afflicted this people wherefore hast thou thus sent me For since I came to Pharaoh to speake in thy Name he hath vexed this people and yet thou hast not deliuered thy people Sée sée the right remedie in all affliction euen to returne vnto the Lord as Moses did here For he woundeth and he healeth hee killeth and he maketh aliue he bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp againe But Moses manner of returning with such expostulations here is not to be commended for hee pleadeth with the Lord as though hee did contrarie to his promise because as yet there appeared no fruite of his ambassage He also complaineth as though his calling were in vaine since worse worse was the condition of the people from his first comming Wherefore sée and marke the weakenes of the strongest sometimes and especiallie when of such they are vexed as they haue deserued well and indéede should receiue a kinder course frō them O gall of friends how bitter art thou how strikest thou to the very bottome of a fleshie heart and leauest a sting behinde thée that killeth with the poyson and venome of it if God succour not Neither the furie of Pharaoh nor the crueltie of the Egyptians moued Moses any thing but his owne to wrong him whose good hee sought and with all perill to himselfe endeauoured it moueth him so that his weakenes breaketh out euen before his God This should moue men and all that looke to be liked and liue with God to forbeare and flie from the like vnkindnes toward those whom God hath sent to them for their good and this must remember such messengers to pray for strength and as Moses yet forsooke not his Office for all this so neither they to doe but still going on to expect the Lords mercy which here to Moses now shewed it selfe and gaue him comfort as followeth in the next Chapter CHAP. 6. The parts of this Chapter are two First a repetition of things done before from the 1. verse to the 12. Secondly a short Storie by way of digression of the names and families of the Israelites from the 12. verse to the end of the Chapter 1. TThen for vse of this Chapter let vs consider these wordes of the Lord ver 3 And I appeared to Abraham Isaac and Iacob by the Name of Almightie God but by my Name Iehouah was I not knowne vnto them and vnderstand the true sence and meaning of them Wherein wee may not thinke that this name Iehouah was vnknowne before this time for expreslie hee named himselfe thus to Abraham Gen. 15. 7. and to Iacob Gen. 28. 13. as also in the 26. ver 24. where Iacob prayed vnto the Lord by this Name But the Lords meaning is by this kinde of spéech to prefer by way of comparison this manifestation of himselfe which now he entended to make before all others made to the Fathers in former times because those contained but promises this should haue the effect and performance of the promises so as the words are as if the Lord should haue said I appeared to Abraham Isaac and Iacob by the name of Almightie God that is I gaue them promises which they by faith laide hold on and beléeued moued with the assurance they had of my Almightie power and all-sufficiencie but by my name Iehouah was I not knowne vnto them that is I gaue them not the accomplishment and matter of my promise as now at this time I will doo to you For now as my Name Iehouah signifieth an existence by my selfe of whō in whom by whom and for whom whatsoeuer is is and hath being so shall you sée it come to passe in your Deliuerance from this raging Tyrant and cruell bondage I will performe what I haue said and I will now cause it to be what heretofore I haue onely said should be S. Bernard hath a good Saying touching this matter when hee teacheth vs thus
the midwiues and built them houses what is that Domus nomine in scripturis non solum habitationis locus sed et filij quibus tanquam lapidibus domus seu familia construitur crescit resetiam familiaris intelligi possunt vnde quidam copiosam sobolem eis dedisse affirmant vt Euseb Hugo de Sto. victore Hyeron innuit aedificasse eis spirituales domus Thom. quód conuersae fuerunt ad cultum veri dei Euseb Caesarien aedificasse domus non manu factas sed in coelis sitas c. The meaning vsually receaued is hée blessed their families that they became of great reputation which were descended of them And hée stirred vp the hearts of the Israelites to build them houses which descended to their families and were fit for them By the phrase then of spéech let vs learne thus much euer to lift vp our eies to God for any thing that happeneth to vs albeit man be the meanes which hée vseth for euer it is the Lords worke Such a phrase was that in Genesis God made them aprons or coates of skins when themselues were the workers and God the author of the deuise Did wée thus sée God in all wée enioie it could not be but thankful thoughts would arise in our harts and more care to please him than appeareth now in many an one Prosecute this meditation with your selfe and thinke of your owne particular what God hath donefor you and what you render to him againe c. I will cast my heart vpon another thing mée thinke héere most comfortable namelie how God reiected not the good that was in these women for the imperfection that was mingled with it but pardoning what was weake gratiously rewardeth what was well Feare not you then though all bée not in you as you wish but pray as you can reade as you can heare as you can and all other Christian duties doe them as you can according to that measure of grace which you haue receiued and if any infirmity thrust it selfe in and trouble you when you are most desirous to bée frée from it feare not the Lord sheweth in these women what his nature is He knoweth our mould whereof we be made and he turneth away his face from beholding our fraileties casting a grations countenance vpon our good Frailtie is ours our weldooing is his and his own grace he wil reward You are not greater than the Apostle was who yet groaned you know vnder this burden that he could not doe the good which hée would but still slipt into the euil which he would not Tyrannize not then ouer your selfe but know it for a truth that want to doe all disgraceth not a will to doe some thing with a swéete God Often remember that place in the Kings so ful of comfort He onlie saith the Lord shall goe to the graue in peace because in him there is some goodnesse Some goodnesse I say againe and euer haue you it in your remembrance for not some goodnesse shal loose his rewarde with God though all bée not there Your will would doe better and that hée séeth but you faile as a child of Adam and that hée séeth also yet will not sée it to stop any mercie from your some goodnesse Ifhée then bée so swéete bée not you sower against your selfe but chéerefully doing what you can say for your wants with him in the Gospell which felt infirmity as you doe Lord helpe my vnbeleefe Lord helpe my weaknes euery way for thy mercy sake 9 Lastly when the King saw hée could not haue his will that way then hée commaunded that euery man-childe should bée cast into the riuer as soone as it was borne and of like appointed bloodie searchers for that purpose So when craft can not rage must increasing their malice against the Lord and his poore members neuer thinking how hard it is to kicke against the pricke Such a like bloody attempt made Herod when hée flew the children but yet missed of his purpose as did héere this King Let his power to preuent his foes bée the comfort of all his true seruants euer Thus may we profit by this chapter CHAP. 2. In this chapter consider chiefely these three heads The birth of Moses and his bringing vp His flying away from Egypt His mariage 1. TOuching the birth of Moses it is noted that both by father and mother he was of the tribe of Leui and what Leui the sonne of Iacob did we reade in Genesis 34. 25. verse The blemish whereof claue vnto his posteritie after yet now you sée God honoureth it with this great honour that of that Tribe should come this famous Deliuerer of the whole Nation from such cruell bondage as now they endured An honour surelie verie great and we may well note in it the swéete goodnes of Almightie God who though some of a Tribe haue offended him and left cleauing to their name that blacknes and blot which the rest of their name neuer occasioned yet is not for euer alienated thereby from the whole blood but extendeth mercie and fauour yea verie high honour to some of them as hee shall thinke good wiping out by degrées what foule sinne had wiped on too wickedlie How may men pray then in comfort euer O Lord O Lord remember not the offences of them that haue gone before vs but let mercie reach notwithstanding their euill to those that hartilie defied their euill This example of God both good Princes and all good Christians carefullie follow not hurting one for another when like deseruing maketh them not in like sort punishable Neuerthelesse some there be that forgetting it maintaine by an euill name of deadlie feud as they call it a damnable reuenge vpon manie and for many yéeres against which is the forme of prayer taught vs by Christ forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs with many scriptures more 2. It is said his mother hid him thrée moneths and Origen maketh this vse of it that men be carefull not to doe all things to be séene of men but as the scripture teacheth to shut the dore and to pray in secret not to let the left hand knowe what the right hand doth for feare least if these male-children be exposed to the view of men with a longing desire to win praise the Egiptians catch them and cast them into the riuer But rather thinke you by these words of the wofull estate wherein this people of God then liued What fulnes of furie was this so bloodilie to tyrannize ouer new borne Infants were they neuer so swéete and well fauoured that their parents must hide them if they would enioy them but a day O bittertimes O wofull mothers when they saw themselues once conceiued with child for if it were a man-child their eies must see the murderers take it and though it wept vpon father and mother and lifted vp both little hands and eies in the
That the calling of God by seuerall Names as Father Maister or as here Almightie Iehouah and the like ariseth not of any varietie in his Nature which euer was and shall be inuariable but of and from a manifold varietie of affections in vs according to a diuers profiting or not profiting of our soules whereby hee séemeth to be changed with vs that change So may I profit in the way of Godlines that his Name toward me may be a Father and so may I not profit as his Name may be a Judge a Reuenger mightie and terrible c. 2. Let vs obserue these words ver 5. I haue heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keepe in bondage c. Are they not swéete and comfortable Miserable man remembreth and heareth his friends when they are in prosperitie and if aduersitie come vnto them neither hearing nor séeing then but a proude scornefull and bitter forgetting The Lord is not so but when wee are at the worst then he remembreth vs then hee heareth our groanes and sighes and pittying helpeth to our vnspeakeable comfort O kinde O gracious and déere God still continue this eare of mercie towards thy poore afflicted Seruants and giue that deliuerance ease and fréedome that euer euer may bee matter of thy praise to all succéeding learners how swéete thy nature is Amen Amen 3 Also I will take you for my people c. Behold the end of all deliuerance and of all benefites receiued from God euen that wee should be his people that hee might rule in vs ouer vs and his praise be euer in our mouthes Wherefore sée how carefull wee should be alwaies to answere this our Calling and neuer to be found vnmindfull of such fauours For if this plainer manifestation of his goodnes to them more than to their fathers was matter to them iustly to stir them vp to thankfull féeling how much more should his manifestation of himselfe to vs in his owne Sonne in whom he hath opened all the treasures of mercie and louing kindnes moue vs to an eternall and neuer ceasing care to please him serue him honour him and loue him And then more perticularly that hee should accept me me for one of his people O what can I say for such a loue but beséech him euer to make me thankfull Amen Amen 4. And I will bring you into the Land which I sware that I would giue to Abraham to Isaac and to Iacob and I will giue it vnto you for a possession I am the Lord. Swéete comfortable was this promise as often as God repeated it but many were the difficulties that appeared to mens eies against this hope all which how great so-euer or many the Lord if you marke it easeth with this one word Ego Dominus I am the Lord. Thereby teaching that as long as our hearts holde this perswasion of him that hee is the Lord so long wee must euer rest assured without fearefull fainting that hee can performe his promises in mercie made vnto vs be there neuer such stops and lets in our eyes What then is thy case are thy sinnes many and great remember he is the Lord and play not Cains part to say they cannot be forgiuen Are thine enemies strong and fierce and bitterly bent against thée Hée is the Lord and therefore can stop and stay them they shal not hurt thée aboue his pleasure which shall be no hurt but profit to thée in the end Are thine infirmities many hee can heale them hee is the Lord. Are thy children vntoward or vnkinde hee can change them hee is the Lord. Finally whatsoeuer gréeueth thée remember this and be comforted hee is the Lord he shall euer be the Lord and he shall euer be thy Lord to care for thy woes and to send thée helpe Onely beléeue 5. So Moses tolde the Children of Israel thus but they hearkened not vnto him Sée sée how hard it is as your Marginall Note saith to shewe true obedience vnder the Crosse Neither the word of God nor his miracles wherewith heretofore they iustly haue béene moued and wondred haue now any place with them but all dulled and deaded with conceiued griefes they suffer themselues to be caried away beyond the measure that Gods children should euer holde in their aduersitie which as it is a very dangerous thing so ought it carefully to be auoyded It is often a penaltie that hee layeth vpon the contemners of his Graces that cleauing altogether to the externall fauours and fawnings of this life they taste not comfort in any affliction whereas the godly the more they are pressed and nipped by the schooling hand of their God the more vehemently they sigh vnto God and looke to his promises with patience and hope This may teach the Ministers of God also not to be cast downe and discouraged if their words euer be not hearkened vnto and regarded since so worthie a man as Moses was in the house of GOD found this measure I knowe I knowe the bitternes of it to a heart that hungreth for their good but wee must bee content wee are not like to them that haue spoken in vaine to deafe eares before wee were borne The world will bee the world crooked and crosse froward and vnkinde though wee breake our hearts in labouring to winne to a better course O what a thing is it to come out of Egypt c. 6. Thē the Lord spake vnto Moses saying Goe speake to Pharaoh King of Egypt that he let the children of Israel goe out of his Land Before you sawe how he was bid goe to the people now wee heare him sent to Pharaoh so is there neuer any time for men of place and publique function to be idle Euer euer there is some seruice for them and an vse of their care paines and labour Now they must defend the oppressed and wronged now they must punish the euill dooers now they must comfort now they must chide that euer they may sée and finde honour to bee a burthen and an vnceasing carefulnes Priuate men also may make vse of it for either in flying euill or in doing good there is alwaies a care in good mindes But I leaue it to your meditation I note and sée héere the bottomlesse mercie of the Lord who although he might iustly haue giuen ouer to fauour so froward a companie that would not hearken to his words and messages sent vnto them yet he doth not but still continueth to haue mercy vpō them verifying that spéech of the Prophet Dauid Euen as a Father pittieth his children so is the Lord mercifull to his people I sée it also héere not without my good that when Moses had receiued this discomfort that the people would not regard his wordes and might stand in a maze what more to doe the Lord helpeth him out of this doubt and sendeth him to Pharaoh Surely surely if the Lord helped vs not in many mazes that this
béene noted before this meditation may arise how Gods aduersaries séeke often to oppugne the truth by the selfe same meanes whereby he doth teach it As if Scripture be alleaged Sathan will doe the like if the true Prophets vse a signe then will Zidkia make him hornes to and say when went the spirit from me to thée All which God doth suffer to draw vs forward to true and sound knowledge without which wee cannot stand but shal be shaken to and fro with doubts and feares and wauering conceipts most vnfit for beléeuers The wordes of the Apostle calling vpon vs to be stedfast vnmoueable abounding alwaies in the worke of the Lord. Not to he caried about with euery blast of vaine doctrine but to continue grounded and stablished in the saith not moued away from the hope of the Gospell c Saint Peter in like manner admonisheth to beware of being plucked away with the error of the wicked and of falling from stedfastnesse noting those that forsook the right way and followed the way of Balaam Labour we therefore to know how we stand and building vpon the rocke indéede though such iugâ—ing Sorcerers as these arise in the world and Apishly follow that course to subuert which Gods Ministers follow to strengthen yet they shall not shake vs but we patiently abiding a time setled vpon our true grounds the falshood shall appeare at last and all their follies be discouered in the end to the honour of God the glorie of his truth the comfort of his children and the confusion of such Egyptian Jugglers for euer Gamaliel could note it that Theudas had his time yet in the end fell with all his followers That Iudas of Galilie had his time and drew away much people after him but at last hee perished and the people were scattered Let not Gamaliel be wiser than we to obserue good things for his instruction 7 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said pray ye vnto the Lord that he may take away the frogges from me and from my people and I will let the people goe c. Why doth he not make his Wisemen take them away his Inchaunters and Sorcerers that could set a shew of making the like Could they cause frogges to come and not goe Or why doth he not call to his gods and Idols to helpe him to take them away Can none helpe him but Moses and Aaron by praying for him See then how the Lord when he pleaseth is able to force the wicked to the acknowledgment of him and his true Ministers and let it comfort vs in the middest of all contempts either of our God of our faith and religion or of our persons He can bring them downe that looke so coy by touches of bodie pinches in minde losses in goods and infinite waies And if therefore it please him a while to indure their pride we also must endure it and not grieue at it These exampels must be readie in our mindes euer when we sée such things Not long since this proud Pharaoh said WHO IS THE LORD But now he séeth and must confesse that there is no helpe but in this Lord. His Gods are weake and the frogs crawled in despight of them Moses therefore must pray to his God to helpe and take them away And who now but Moses Aaron with Pharaoh Ah wée despised Ministers by the proude worldlings let vs marke it and beare their coÌ„tempts In their extremities they shall acknowledge our callings iustifie our loue and wishe our prayers They shall stoupe they shall stoupe when our God pleaseth and it is inough Remember that great Nabuchadnezar how the Lord stouped him till hée should know that the Lord ruleth Pray pray for vs O Samuel said the stobborne Israelites when God would and so they came to him whom they erst neglected Men and brethren what shall we doe said they béeing touched that before thought much to be aduised by such men Ieroboam sendeth to the Prophet whose doctrine he would not follow and no worse a messenger than his owne wife and in his heart he acknowledgeth that truth is with him The great Turke in these daies will séeke the prayers of Christian-men when yet he fighteth against the truth that they embrace And many which at other times regard them not either going to sea or to battaile or béeing sicke and vexed at home will send and séeke for the prayers and comfort of Gods Ministers And what is this but a signe of Gods Omnipotent hand ouer all Pharaohs whatsoeuer and that he can reuenge our contempts and giue our truth and carefull walking in our places a due regarde and reuerence when he will with them and in them Let the swéetenesse of it ioy vs and make vs possesse our soules in patience Diues that rich glutton shal sée Lazarus right himselfe wrong one day 8 But why dooth Pharaoh now call rather than in the former plague for Moses and Aaron to pray Surely because this plague more nipped him than the former For when the riuers were blood he might haue wine to drinke and by that meanes not finde the smart so much See wee then howbeit other mens harmes should affect vs yet vnlesse the Lord touch our selues we are dull and dead without sense Which certainly maketh God reach vs a blowe many times when otherwise he would spare vs did we make good vse of our Brethrens harmes Applie therefore euer to your selfe Gods doings saying in your heart and why Lord am I not so also Doo not I also offend thée Father of Heauen and God of all mercie make me wise by other mens harmes and thankfull vnto thée that I am so schooled rather than with mine owne woe 9. Sée how readie Moses is to pray for Pharaoh when he biddeth him to appoint the time himselfe of his prayer and let it make vs thinke with our selues whether wee be thus harted to pray readily and willingly for Prince for Country for friends and familie yea let it open vnto vs what I feare is too true that in our liues scarce once we haue béene vpon our knées for any of these but euen goe on in a common course haling and pulling with the world all the wéeke long and on the Holiday goe to the Church rather for fashion than deuotion praying with lips not with heart a fewe words and then spending all the rest of the time either in sléeping or gazing or thinking of matters little belonging to God O that wee may profit by this readines in Moses to pray for such a wicked king Remember the Scriptures where you see how fathers and mothers haue gone to Christ for their children Maisters for their seruants and neighbours for their friends Christ is th 〈…〉 me and why should not we also be the same and Morning and Euening goe vnto God for our selues and ours as héere did Moses for Pharaoh 10. It may be moued for a question why
with filthie Frogges and so still you knowe by degrées vntill he had brought 9. fearefull plagues vpon the Land But as you also know none of them all would worke the deliuerance of the Church but still with an hardned heart as soone as any plague was remoued Pharaoh returned to his disobedience against the Lord. Whereupon at length God came to these words Yet will I bring one plague more as if hee should haue saide notwithstanding that all these former works can preuaile nothing with Pharaoh yet let him not thinke that he can be too hard for me for hee shall well finde that I both can and will be too hard for him I haue yet one Plague more which I wil bring vpon him and that shall so stoope him that hee shall not onely let my people goe but shall be most glad of the dispatch of them Sée we then in these things for our owne vse the Course and procéeding which euer from the beginning the Lord hath vsed and euer will vnto the end as he shall sée occasion euen first in mercy to entreate and in mildnes by more gentle meanes to allure then in the end by power and Judgement to compell when the former course will not serue In the first age when the olde world would not bee reformed but more and more prouoked him to wrath by taking wiues descended of wicked Parents more regarding in a fleshly sensuality outward beautie than inward vertue the Lord saide His Spirit should no longer striue with man meaning with lenitie and gentlenes as vnto that time it had done but now hee would bring vpon them his one plague more as héere vpon Egypt which should be indéede a stooping plague as héere this was and should suffice to crush crooked disobedience and to pull downe haughtie pride as was méete That was the Great flood which destroyed man woman and childe sauing eight persons appointed to be saued When Sodome and Gomorrha would not 〈◊〉 warned by any way of mercie and patience vsed by a gracious God vnto them many yéeres then that one plague more of fire and brimstone from Heauen came and stooped them and burnt them to ashes as they deserued Iezabell had faire warnings to amend her life to loue Religion to leaue Idolatrie and to become a better woman both to GOD and the world many a yéere before her fall came Eliah that worthie Prophet liuing by her doing great works to shew that God was with him yet nothing would serue Therefore at the last came the stooping Plague and shee was throwne downe at the windowe where the Dogges did eate her vp all sauing the scull feete and palmes of her hands A dreadfull example of Gods wrath vpon a sinner when milde and mercifull wayes to amend him will not serue Manasses a King of great vngodlines as you sée in the Storie at length was brought by the stooping plague of yron-fetters and bondage to be humbled and repent as was fit for him What gracious dealing did God first vse towards Nabuchadnezzar in forwarning him by a Dreame what should be the end of his wicked life then to prouide Daniel for him both to expound the same vnto him and to giue him that good aduise specified in the Text euen to breake off his sinnes by righteousnes and his iniquities by mercy towards the poore and that there might be an healing of his error yet all would not serue but he went on and offended God more and more as you sée in the 27. verse Wherefore God brought vpon him his stooping plague and draue him from among men to haue his dwelling among the beasts of the field to eate grasse as the Oxen and to haue his body wet with the dewe of Heauen till his haire was growne as Eagles feathers and his nailes like vnto birds clawes By which one plague more the Lord as you knowe brought him home and humbled him Let vs come vnto that fearefull example of Hierusalem â—he wofullest Storie that euer pen committed to paper What preaching and teaching had they first vouchsafed vnto them What Prophets and men of God full of grace power liued among them yea euen the Sonne of God himselfe Christ Iesus they had in the flesh to conuerse with them who both by Doctrine and miracles most admirable offered them life and comfort and laboured to drawe them from their danger but all would not serue they killed the Prophets and stoned them which were sent vnto them they despised all and with bloodie hands crucified the Lord of life himselfe in a most high contempt of God and all his offered grace What remained therefore but that the Lord should drawforth his last plague his one plague more his stooping plague as héere he did against Pharaoh and to make such a rebellious people knowe themselues So hee did and sent against them Titus the sonne of Vespasian with the Romaine power who besieged their Citie at such a time as the greatest concourse was there brought them to famine and such miserie as neuer befell any people in this world but them and in the end vtterly ouerthrew them all their Citie and glory and whatsoeuer had exalted it selfe against God O miserie who can reade it or speake of it with drie eies When once they began to issue-out compelled with famine they were still taken and crucified vpon crosses and gibbets set vp before the walles that they which were within might sée them and giue ouer but yet they would not Fiue hundred a day were thus hanged vp till there were neither trées to be gotten nor any more space left to set them in Amongst whom no doubt were the children of those that cried against our Sauiour Crucifie him crucifie him his blood be vpon vs and vpon our children They regarded not God his Sonne and God regarded not their sonnes when time came The number of dead bodies vnburied and the multitude of other miseries was so great that Titus himselfe shaked at it and lifting vp his hands to Heauen cried O Lord O Lord this is not my doing as if hee should haue said it is thy wrath and Judgement thy Justice and vengeance pursuing this people or else it could neuer be thus Certaine of them getting meate for compassion sake in the Campe of the Enemies were yet so prosecuted with this anger of God that when they hoped their liues were in some safety suddainly in the night by the bloodie Souldier imagining that sure they had gold and Jewels within them which they had swallowed to conuay them for their vse were miserably â—â—aine and slit-vp their bowels raked in for that which happily was not there to the number of two thousand in one night which sore grieued the Generall Titus when he heard of it There was a desire to knowe the number of dead caâ—cases caried out of the Citie for want of buriall to be throwne in the Ditches as dung vpon the earth but
wisheth a Benefice forget his dutie when hee hath got it and suffer his people the Lords Lambes to perish by his sloath Thus doth the Seruant when hee is become a Maister and thus doo thousands who when they were vnmaried and had little thought and said if they had some portion to liue vpon some reasonable competent estate O how would they serue God and doo good things to their power But all is forgotten and they are not the same persons when the Lord in mercie hath giuen them more cause to serue him than euer they had Followe this Meditation farther your selfe and thinke often in your heart what a swéete killing poyson Prosperitie is to many a one and how néedefull this Note of Moses was That they should Remember their duties to God when they were come into that pleasant Land of Promise 15. The Cōmaundement To teach their children what the Passeouer meant noteth vnto vs how the Word Sacraments should goe together not hiding in an vnknowne tongue by neglect of preaching what Gods ordinance is but plainly openly euer ioyning Doctrine to it that the people of God may knowe the Lords meaning in his holy Sacraments so vse them as they ought to his glory and their cōfort Yea the children you sée should not be brought vp in ignorance as ours are to the great prouocation of Gods wrath against vs. But euen when they are young taught and tolde what a Sacrament is and what is meant by the Paschal Lambe for thus would they prooue good seruants of God when yéeres came on and the Lord be honoured in our séede when we are dead Which whether it can be without a blessing from his hand both vpon them and whatsoeuer we leaue vnto them iudge in your owne soule when you haue considered well how sweete and gracious God is how many are his promises how faithfull he euer is in them Doo therefore as followeth in this your Chapter of this people ver 7. They bowed thēselues and worshipped That is they thankfully receaued the Lords pleasure at Moses mouth not as the word of man but as it was in déede the Word of God And they went their way and did as the Lord commaunded Moses and Aaron A blessed obedience both in hearing and doing a chéerefull alacritie and readines such as gladded the heart of Moses and euer will glad all godly Ministers Chronicled héere vp in the Booke of God by the direction of God to the lasting praise of them that were so touched and moued to obey God in his mercie make it also profitable to thy soule good Christian Reader that thou likewise in the Booke of life mayst be Chronicled vp for euermore Amen The second part 1. COncerning the death of the first borne which was the second generall Head noted before to be in this Chapter that which hath béene spoken before in the Denunciation may suffice to which I refer you praying that héere may be obserued the great care of Almightie God to haue this thing well remembred when againe he thus repeateth it with all his Circumstances of time of persons their awaking their crying their desire to bee rid of the Israelites their forcing of them away in all hast c. Surely Gods works for mankinde in generall or for any of vs all in particular to be forgotten must néedes be most displeasing vnto him when we sée such care as this to preserue in his church children a due Remembrance of them Theodoret speaking of these first-borne saith Cur interfecit primogenita Aegypti Propterea quòd Israële prmimogenita Dei Pharaoh nimis durae subiecerat seruituti Hoc enim ipse Dominus Deus dixit Filius meus primogenitus Israel c. Why did he slay the first borne of Egypt Euen because Pharaoh had subiected his first borne Israel to too hard and cruell a bondage For thus speaketh the Lord of Israel Israel my first-borne Sonne c. Againe in this that the first-borne only dyed both of man and beast not the second-borne nor the third-borne wée may with profit well obserue how the differences of children are knowne to God who is first who is second and who is third which may yéelde this vse neuer for any childe to goe about with craft and subtilty or any vnlawfull inuention of man to thrust himselfe into the place and prerogatiue thereof which God in his prouidence hath not giuen him but to abide in the order disposed to him of God and to trust in his mercy who so disposed for feare lest God who knoweth our order seuerely punish vs for breaking his order He could haue made the yongest the eldest if he had pleased he could haue made the 3. to be the 2. if he had so liked But he hath not done it and what he doth is euer best til his owne hand alter the same A contented minde much pleaseth God and a working spirit contrary to his Will as much offendeth him Let it be thought on for there is too much cause in the world giuen and sinne is counted Wisedome 2 This mightie power of God is fearefull and comfortable Fearefull for that in one night yea in one instant and with one word as it were he destroyed so many first-borne in Egypt Comfortable because what iudgment soeuer he vseth and executeth against the wicked yet he can saue his owne in the very middest of death and danger So that not a haire of their heades shal be hurt Thousands may fall on the right hand and tenne Thousands on their left yet no harme happen to them Also this gratious Clemency and Mercy in the Lord is most comfortable who when he could as easily and as iustly haue destroyed all yet in his goodnes that hath neither bottome nor measure he taketh but the first-borne so gratiously humbleth thē by a few This is that which the Prophet speaketh when he beggeth of the Lord in wrath to remēber Mercy so noting his manner and nature euer full of pitty long suffering 3 Then Pharaoh called to Moses and Aaron saying get you hence c. That is he sent his Messengers vnto them to will them to depart For Moses saw him no more after the departing mentioned in the tenth Chapter the last verse And in the eleuenth Chapter verse eight you sée Moses foretold that thus his seruants should intreat him to depart Euer till now Pharaoh had some exceptions either of their Children or of their Cattell c. But now all are put in a libertie graunted vnto all and glad and glad to be deliuered of them Thus can God with his mighty arme bring downe the proude stomakes of the greatest and make them yéelde to his Will wholly not in part A fruitfull consideration for those that dayly amongst vs vse to limmit their obedience to God saying either openly or secretly in their hearts Herein will I follow my Teacher and herein I will not Adultery
more pericula fugere illos voluit id nos facere docens etiam dum apertissimé Deum adiutorem habemus God doth not worke all things as he can but sometimes doth eschew perils after the maner of men therein teaching vs to doe the like namely by vsing meanes euen then when most plainly we haue God our helper 2. The Children of Israel went vp armed out of the Land of Egypt saith the Text. And it may teach vs warinesse and circumspection in our vocatiens euer reckoning of the enemie in this our holy march towardes the Land of Promise Iosephs bones are caried away with them according to the oath made vnto him which may teach vs faithfulnes and truth in the desires of dead men euermore a thing alwaies of good regard with good men and too little regarded by many that would be iudged good men But no shewe of warrant héere for the Popish fooleries and impieties vsed about their Reliques For this promise to translate his bones was taken by Ioseph to shew his Faith in the promise of GOD touching the Land of Promise to be giuen in time and it was performed by the Israelites in discharge of truth without any superstition or Idolatrie as in Poperie is vsed most offensiuely The 3. part THe last generall Head is concerning the signes of direction which the Lord vouchsafed them namely a Cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night Whereof the Psalme speaketh alluding to this Storie In the day time he led them with a Cloud and all the night long with a light of fire And againe Hee spread a cloud to be a couering and fire to giue light in the night season By this Great miracle shewing that the Israelites deliuerance was from himselfe and by no other meanes vnder Heauen Secondly that hee was present with them to defend and saue them from all their enemies And thirdly that in like sort hee guideth and protecteth his faithfull marching out of Egypt towardes the promised Land through the Wildernes of woe and affliction which indéede hee still doth by his Word and Sacraments two guides to vs as these pillars were to them So necessarie is it after deliuerance to be guided that without the one the other will not serue And if more particularly you wil meditate on them consider in the Cloud how it not only directeth the way but is spread as the Psalme saith for a couering namely against the heate of the Sunne sauing them from the violence thereof and comfortably cooling and refreshing them Remember also howe the afflictions of this world in the Gospell are noted by the heate of the Sunne And be you assured in a true Faith that euen euer euer against these heates the Lord in his good time will send you defence and comfort For still you must know that yesterday and today and for euer He is the same Meditate on the Apostles experience 2. Cor. 1. Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of all mercies and the God of all comfort which comforteth vs in all our tribulations sée the cooling Cloud that wee may be able to comfort them which are in any affliction by the comfort wherewith wee our selues are comforted of God For as the sufferings of Christ abound in vs so our consolation aboundeth through Christ c. Thus to Paule thus to you thus to all assuredly In the other pillar of fire obserue that beside direction by going before it also gaue light vnto them in the night And thereby learne with a féeling comfort that whosoeuer followe Christ as their Guide and Leader they still haue light in others darknes So saith Hee himselfe Hee that followeth mee shall not walke in darknes but shall haue that light of life In both the one and the other sée a Notable Figure of Christ in whoÌ„ there is cooling without whom there is scorching heate in whom there is light and without whom there is hellish darknes In the world yee shall haue trouble but in mee yee shall haue peace The wordes which followe That they might goe both by day and by night most notablie remember vs that in trauelling towardes the spirituall Canaan we must not rest but labour forward continually The Chiidren of this world are often looking back toward Egypt and often pitch downe their Tents so in this Wildernes that they are loath euer to take them vp and to remoue But with the Sonnes of God it is not so but they say with themselues We haue here no abiding Citie and fixing both eye heart on their Heauenly house they iourney on still both day and night in true pietie and obedience and they are not quiet till they haue attained to the Hauen sée their God with his holy company in the highest Heauens Last of all when it is said Hee tooke not away the pillar of the Cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people Let it euer assure your fearing heart cooling comforting shining and lighting guiding and directing his little flocke shall neuer be taken away froÌ„ any member thereof but euer be readie present with vs both by day night to the eternall praise of his goodnes and vnspeakeable comfort of our soules blessed againe and againe be his name for it And thus far of this Chapter CHAP. 14. The Heads of this Chapter may be these 1. The pursuing of Pharaoh after them 2. The feare of the Israelites wheÌ„ they saw him vâ— 10. 3. Their fall and sinne through their feare ver 11. 4. The Lords deliuerance of them 1. TOuching the first marke what a straite the Lord brought his people into when He commaunded Moses to speake vnto them to campe before Pâ—-hakiroth betweene Migdol and the Sea ouer against Baal-zephon where the Sea was before them Mountaines on either side and Pharaoh with his Host at their backes the Lord hardening his heart to follow after them yet was not this distresse for their hurt but for their good that God might be honoured they miraculously deliuered and their enemies gloriously ouerthrowne How then doo wee feare in euery aduersitie before wee sée the end Surely we wrong the Lord much and our selues in so doing he being as good as euer he was as mightie as euer he was to finde meanes and as iust as euer hee was to punish our malicious enemies O thinke then with your selfe and reason thus Loe héere I am distressed on euery side as the Israelites were at the Red-Sea and it is the prouidence of God that I should be thus as it was his Will they should pitch in that place But doo I know the Lords meaning what he will doo No indéede And therefore I will patiently waite for his blessed Will not murmuring as the Israelites did but comfortably assuring my selfe that one way or other the Lord will giue issue to his glory and my
and potentates of the earth beleeued in Christ and were sub dued to him Who whilst they raged against the poore ship were so farre from sinking her as they desired to doo Vt plané illis persimiles inuenti sint c. That altogether saith Theodoret they became like vnto those that seeking to quench the flame fondly poure oyle in and so make it greater And euen as the bush that Moses sawe was not consumed with fire no more could the enemies with their warres and weapons ouerthrowe it Simones Marciones Valentini c. The Simoncans the Marcionits the Valentinians and a number more saith Greg. Nazianz. they are all drowned in their owne déepes and the Church is deliuered Euer therefore as the Israelites héere against Pharaoh and his heast so shall Gods Church haue victorie against her enemies but in Gods time not at her owne will Till then constant Faith and painfull rowing be graces becomming the Church and euery member of it I am Ioseph your brother was a word of great comfort you knowe in the Figure and It is I it is I be not afraide is a farre greater comfort in Christ who was figured blotting all feares whatsoeuer out of our hearts Lastly Thus Israel sawe the mightie power which the Lord shewed vpon the Egyptians so the people feared the Lord and beleeued the Lord and his seruant Moses This is the end of Gods mercies to his Children and of his iudgement vpon their foes To encrease all good duties in them towards him and by name a reuerend feare of his Maiestie and a faithfull assurance in his loue They beléeued before in some measure but now in a greater measure as may bee saide of the Disciples where the like Spéech is vsed Iohn 2. 11. They beleeued also his seruant Moses that is they nowe plainly sée that God was with him whom they so wickedly had abused Let it profit vs to beware by them either to distrust God or to wrong his Ministers appointed ouer vs and let vs learne that although Faith respect GOD onely yet is there such an vnion betwixt him and his Ministers as in déede and truth we cannot beléeue him vnlesse we also beléeue his Ministers speaking from him And therefore whō God hath ioyned euen in this sense also let no man seuer but beleeue the Lord and his seruant Moses What is past of vnkindnes towards your faithfull Minister caring for you praying for you and wéeping for you when you are fast on sléepe in your bed Let it grieue your heart in your secret chamber and doo so no more the Lord is with him his service is Gods mercie to you the abuse or contempt of him will so grieue the Lord that you are sure to féele his heauie hand for it Be wise therefore let both this particular and the whole Chapter profit you in Gods blessing CHAP. 15. Consider in this Chapter these two generall Heads 〈◊〉 The thanksgiuing both of men and women 2. The fall againe of these Israelites at Marah 1. TOuching the first obserue the antiquitie of writing in verse and the reason why Moses vsed verse here euen to continue a longer and better remembrance of so famous a worke of God for his Church for we all sée by experience that what is written in verse both more affecteth and more sticketh in the memorie than what is written in prose We must learne also by this Example euer after mercies and comforts to giue thanks For the Custome of the Church is the instruction of euery particular man and woman in the Church The custome wee sée héere and in other places What Melchisedech did after Abrahams victorie wee reade in Genesis What Deborah and Barak did wee reade in Iudges What the women sang to Saul and Dauid we reade in that Storie as also what was carefully done after that great victorie and deliuerance vouchsafed to Iehosaphat A feast was kept euery yéere to remember thankfully Hamans destruction and the Iewes ioyfull deliuerance Iudeths seruice and blessing with God is not forgotten And if you goe to Dauids Psalmes how many of them are Psalmes of thanksgiuing after benefits Of the cleansed Leapers though nine forget yet one is thankfull The man healed of the palsie taketh vp his bed praiseth God The Creeple healed entred into the Temple walking and leaping and praising God God and man abhorre the contrarie and when thou art truly said to be vnthankfull but euen to man there is in that one word all euill contained and affirmed of thée Now if priuate benefites should be remembred much more publique which touch so many Whereforefor both be euer thanksfull to God as the fountaine and to man as his meanes Imperfection in this dutie beséech him to pardon c. 2. When was this thanksgiuing made The Text telleth you in this word THEN Then sang Moses the children of Israel That is euen presently as soone as they could gather all their companie together on the other side of the sea whither so happily they were brought on drie foote by a mighty God In the 5 of Iudges you may note it also THEN sang Deborah Barak euen the same day And surely to defer it is alwaies dangerous so soone are we cooled and become dull and heauie after the greatest mercies Doo it therefore whilest thy heart is hot thy féeling swéete of his fouour found Doo it quickly hartily and so thou mouest the Lord to more mercy For gratiarum actio est ad plus dandum inuitatio Thankfulnes is an inuiting of God to giue more saith S. Ambrose Doo what wee can wee shal be weake and our best duties be full of wants but yet spéede will helpe somewhat and our care in making spéede shall finde mercie for such wants When dulnesse crept in by carelesse delay shall be punished 3. Note with your self again the maner of their Song namely how they being many yet vse the singular number say I will sing When in a right phrase of spéech they should haue said we will sing This plainely teacheth vs that a good forme of giuing thanks is euery particular person out of his owne feeling to say I I good Lord doo yéeld vnto thy Maiestie my bounden thankes for my selfe and for my brethren for my selfe and for thy whole Church And so euery one féeling and euery one thanking the Lord is praised of all as his mercie and goodnes reach To all A contrarie course it is to trust to other mens giuing of thanks for me and to be dull and dumbe my selfe Dauids words haue another touch Thou art My God and I I will praise thee euen My God therefore I will exalt thee I I againe in mine owne person and with mine owne heart and with mine owne tongue c. 4. I will sing that is not onely in heart will I féele and thinke but with my voice will I expresse and publish the due praises of
comfort to his Church touching Christ if you remember That we haue not a high Priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sin And thereupon concludeth Let vs therefore goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receaue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede If wée be not in abilitie to doo Strangers any good yet comfortable words shal please both them and God that made this law for them The other law concerning Widowes fatherlesse Orphanes as the Lord made it in great mercie so will he euer punish the breaches with sharpe iustice Affliction saith Salomon is not to be added to the afflicted Widowes fatherlesse children therfore must be pittied comforted helped if neede require séeing they haue lost their head not oppressed and wronged vexed grieued as often they are Now that the Lord wil punish you sée the Text plaine and how O reade it againe for it is fearefull with the sword will he destroy those wringers and crushers that their wiues also may become widowes and their children fatherlesse So verifying the wise Saying By what a man sinneth by that shal he be punished Careful therfore was Iob to auoide this danger and voweth vehemently that he neuer restrained the poore of their desire nor caused the eyes of the widow to faile by long waiting for her request Let this mooue vs and strike vs and euer profit vs. If thou lend money to my people that is to the poore with thee thou shalt not be as an Vsurer vnto him ye shall not oppresse him with vsury This matter of vsury is so largely handled by many and so little regarded by moe that I spare my labour in it To allow all that some allow or to condemne as much as * some condemne as yet I sée no reason Many are the cases and intricate are the questions mooued mentioned in this matter Orphanes are left with nothing to bring them vp but a portion of money some in the Vniuersities some in the Country Spend the stocke and it will soone be gone vse it occupy it themselues they cannot So they haue money and want a trade others haue trades and want money Bucer in Cambridge was asked this question and did not dislike of some interchange profitable to the Orphane and yet not opening the way to flat vsury Stran gers likewise and exiles out of their countrey for religion and good causes bring a little money with them for easines of carriage and nothing else themselues happily may not trade in a forraigne land how then shall they their wiues and children liue workmen peraduenture also they are not but of an higher degrée In short therefore we know the end of the cōmandement is loue so far thē as borrowing lending breaketh not that but agréeth with it moderate men may do what is fit for them no scope giuen to the condemned vsurer To méete with one inconuenience to bring many others into the common-wealth was neuer wisedome Wherefore let euerie man search his own heart and well obserue his owne dealings in lending to his neighbour that liueth with him as knowing that nothing is hid frō God but must be accoūted for one day If cōtracts charitie agrée not together but what profiteth you hurteth your neighbour the case is altered I speak of what agréeing with loue is by learned men allowed the same disagréeing from the same is condemned blamed 9 The next law is concerning pawnes and pawne-takers A great trade still in this wringing world And of them thus the Lord speaketh If thou take thy neighbours raiment to pledge thou shalt restore it to him before the Sun go downe for that is his couering onely and this is his garment for his skin wherein shall he sleepe Therefore when he cryeth vnto me I will heare him For I am mercifull The 24. of Deutro is to be referred hither for explication further of the mercie that God requireth in this matter frō all men Mark it euer remember it the nakednesse miserie of the poore body cryeth against thée to the Lord and hée hath vowed to heare All is not gained then that is put in thy purse but only that which is wel put in The other laws of reuerence to Magistrates neither reuiling them nor thinking lightly of them of due and true paying of tythes to the maintenance of Gods truth and Ministers and so forth will come hereafter to be touched againe and therefore no more now of this Chap. CHAP. 23. THis Chapter also as hath béen said goeth on with mo Lawes tending likewise to the exposition of the Morall Law and namely of the 8. and 9. Commandements Touching the procéeding with moe lawes we may make vse of these and the like Sayings Arcesilaus in Laertius did not like that there should be many laws saying Quemadmodum vbi multi medici ibi multi morbi it a vbi permultae lege◠ibi plus vitiorum Like as where there are many Phisitions that are many diseases so where there are very many laws there are moe faults Demonax very vnaduisedly spake against all lawes saying Leges prorsus esse mutiles Vt quibus boni non egerent mali nihilò fierent meliores That lawes were altogether vnprofitable because the good needed them not the bad would not be bettered by them But Chrisostome with a better spirit both approoued goodlaws and would haue thē ALL to be obeied Saying In citharanon satis esse in vno tantum neru◠concentum efficere Vniuersos oportere percuti numerosè decenter ita ad salutem non satis esse vnam Legem vniuersas esse audiendas seruandas To make musicke on a Harpe it is not sufficient to playe on one sting but all must be striken in due measure and proportion so to saluation one Law is not sufficient but all must be wel vnderstood duly kept These laws therefore here following cōtinued by God himselfe seruing by explanation to helpe our vnderstanding consequentlie to direct our practise concerning former lawes are dillgently by vs to be obserued In the two first verses obserue the vertues of a good and vpright iudge and add them to that which was spoken in the 18. Chap. His first vertue is Truth Truth I say in his sentence and iudgment which he must euer carefully labour for by all good waies and meanes Contrary to truth are false tales rumors which therefore here in the first words are forbiddē either to be receaued of the Judge or reported by others Thou shalt not receaue a false tale neither shalt thou put thy hand with the wicked to be a false witnesse The Word signifieth both to receaue and report therefore both forbidden That the Iudge may thus doo he must euer remember Epicharmus his little saying Memēto
his word séeing it is so sure a way for mée to walke in Or why should any Teacher deliuer to me that which hée neuer receiued of God to be deliuered to his people If they craue obedience why should they bée angry that I pray to haue it shewed out of his word whom onely I must obey Hée hath prescribed a forme of seruing him that forme hée will accept and blesse with eternall peace all other formes hée will abhorre and punish Nadab and Abihu preach so vnto vs and all flesh They wish vs to take héed by their harme God is in other things full of patience but in this he is full of wrath and his authoritie to appoint his owne worship he will not indure it to be taken from him by any man Let Popish whisperers then make good out of Gods word Latine Prayers when we vnderstand no Latin Calling vpon Saints that heare vs not Flying from the sufficiencie of Christs Passion to our owne merits crossings and creepings with a thousand deuised toyes and we will obey them But if they cannot let them leaue vs to serue God according to his word that we may bée accepted 3 You may also well note it here that Nadab Abihu were two of Aarons eldest sonnes which after their father should in his place haue succéeded him yet there is no mercie with God to stay his iudgement when they will not be ruled by his word No prerogatiue therefore of any man shall saue him from wrath if hee thus offend but the eldest shall die aswell as a yonger the richest aswell as the poorer a great man or woman aswell as a small There is no regard with God of these things But the soule that serueth him according to his owne will reueiled in his VVord that is regarded and euer déere vnto him c. Build we not therefore vpon any titles and so swarue from the rule laid downe vnto vs. If so little a transgression cannot be qualified any way by any circumstance O what will bée their case one day that so many wayes stray from the Law of God and almost in no one iote of their worship haue any warrant Thinke with your self more of this matter and meditate further of it at your times 4 Then Moses said vnto Aaron This is that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified in them that come neere mee and before all the people I will be glorified You can conceiue what wo it was to Moses to sée this end of two of his brothers sonnes but he must stoope to God and so he doth telling Aaron the trueth of the fault and so consequently defending God that he did but iustly In déede saith he we must confesse that this is that we were told before how God will be sanctified in them that come neere vnto him that is how he will haue his Law obeyed and followed in his worship and not any way else how though he vse the Ministerie of man yet no man liuing must be wiser than Hee to swarue from the forme appointed and to follow his owne libertie but man must thinke it his wisedome to doe as God biddeth c. 5 But Aaron held his peace saith the Text that is was so astonished with the fearefulnes of it that he had no spéech but all amazed and shaken with the woe of it held his peace He howled not out with any vnséâ—mly cries neither vttered any words of rage and impatiencie but méekly stooped to Gods will kissed his rodde and held his peace If thus Aaron in so great a iudgement how much more we when our friends dye naturally swéetly and comfortably so that we may boldly say NoÌ„ amisimus sedpraemisimus VVe haue not lost them but sent them before vs whether we our selues hope to follow Lay to this heauie harted father yet silent and patient the example of olde father Elye the Priest to whom when Samuel had related such fearefull things quietly he answered It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good The example also of Dauid who in his distresse very bitter and heauie yet notably said Let the Lord doe to me as seemeth good in his eyes These are most excellent Paterns for vs to follow in all our crosses and griefes not forgetting that golden Saying of Iob Wee haue taken good things at Gods hands and shall we not take euill O yes yes The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh and euer euer blessed be his Name for all The fish groweth greater in salt waters and the Lord for his mercie make our Faith Pacience and Comfort in him great in the saltest and bitterest waters of this world Amen 6 Obserue here againe with your selfe the strange and admirable change of these worldly matters in the turne as we say of a hand For but Yesterday as it were Aaron and these sonnes of his had a famous and glorious consecration into the greatest and highest dignitie vpon earth nothing vnder the Sunne being more glorious than that Priest-hood in those dayes And how may you thinke his heart reioyced to sée not onely himselfe but his children which Parents often loue more than themselues so blessed and honoured But O change now sudden and fearefull O fickle fading comfort that man taketh hold of in this world whatsoeuer it be if wordly These sonnes so lately exalted and honoured to their old Fathers swéet and great ioy now lye destroyed before his face to his extréeme and twitching torment And how Not by any ordinarie and accustomed death but by fire from Heauen a sore and dreadfull iudgement For what also Euen for breach of commaunded dutie by the Lord all which doubled and trebled the fathers sorrow As it did in Dauid when his sonne Absolon died not an vsual death and in rebellion and disebedience against his king and Father You remember his passion then vttered O my sonne Absolon my sonne my sonne Absolon would God I had died for thee O Absolon my sonne my sonne He considered the cause wherein he dyed the manner how he dyed to a father so kinde as Dauid was both of them full of woe and sorrow Let neuer therefore any prosperitie in this world puffe vs for wée little know what to morrow-day may bring with it The glasse that glistereth most is soonest broken the rankest corne is soonest layd and the fullest bough with pleasant fruite is soonest slit hauing more eyes vpon it moe stones cast at it than all the other boughs of the trée Pleasant wine maketh wise men fooles and fooles often starke mad Thousands fall at the left hand but tenne thousand at the right Multos fraÌ„git aduersitas sed plures extollit prosperitas Many saith Saint Bernard are crushed with aduersitie but more are puffed vp by prosperitie Lacertus Milonem perdidit ambitio Caesarem Nimis alter Naturae nimis alter Fortunae credidit Milo his strong arme ouerthrew him and Caesar his ambition The one
whereby this Leprosie was discerned of the Priest you haue in the Text deepe spots greenish or reddish which séeme to belower than the wall Also how the Priest might not rashly condemne the house but must shut it vp a time and then loke vpon it again and yet we can hastily and rashly condemne our brethren our equals our betters that they are thus and so There was an easier clensing by scraping and changing the infected stones and a harder clensing by quite pulling it downe God gently dealeth with sinners if it may serue and quite ouer-throweth the incurable The expiation sheweth we ought to haue cleane houses and the Offering noteth from whom all health is euen from God CHAP. XV. SOme other vncleanes incident to man and woman is mentioned in this Chapter whereof modestly you may thinke as you read it Unto the 9. verse he speaketh of man and then verse 19. of the woman For vse vnto your selfe first consider by occasion of these things that originall corruption which is gotten into our nature by the fall of our first Parents through which we are most vncleane many wayes in the eyes of God The Lord hath a great care to worke this meditation in vs strongly when hée so amplifieth these natural vncleanesses in vs as that euery thing is made vncleane which toucheth him in that case Euery bed whereon hee lyeth euery thing whereon hee sitteth whosoeuer toucheth the bed shall wash his clothes c. He that sitteth vpon the seate where hee sate The saddle that hee rideth on yea the vessell that hee toucheth and so foorth So also of the woman in the latter part of the Chapter modestly read and be edified Thinke of the Scriptures that note this corruption in vs telling vs that all the imaginations of the thoughts of our hearts are onely euill continually That in vs that is in our flesh dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with some as with the Apostle that spake it and yet he found no meanes to performe that which is good For hee could not doe the good which he would but the euill that he would not that did hee And so foorth as followeth in that Chapter most notably That they which are in the flesh sauour the things of the flesh That the naturall man perceiueth not the things which are of God but they are foolishnesse to him c. Thinke what particular parts of vs are charged with this corruption sée if they be not the very chiefest as the vnderstanding the will the heart the eyes the eares and so foorth Be mooued with it and renouncing your selfe séeke for remedie where it onely is and not in your selfe Follow the Counsaile of the Apostle take his words as an explication of the end of this Ceremonie Namely that wée indeauour to cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and Spirit and that wee finish our Sanctification in the feare of GOD. To this end the Lord hath ordained holy Matrimonie and taught that it is honourable among all men To this end hée hath forbidden all vncleane lusts and taught vs that Whoremongers and Adulterers hee will iudge For this is the Will of GOD saith the Apostle Euen your sanctification and that yee should abstaine from Fornication That euery one should know to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour And not in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentiles which know not God And blessed are the cleane in heart saith our Sauiour Christ for they shall see God Strengthen your selfe therefore in this holy course by these Scriptures and the like Consider often the Commandement of God in whose hand is death if you disobey Consider his nature that hée is puritie and cleanenes it selfe and as hée is our heauenly Father so should wée bée his children and seruants Consider how it is impossible to pray to him aright with an vncleane minde for any want wée haue Consider what hope wée can haue of eternall life if we loue vncleanenes when the Rule is thus Follow holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. Consider the hurt of example The danger that groweth to a Common-wealth when for such filthinesse the Lord often ouer-throweth a whole state as the licentious life of one Paris did Troy And finally thinke what vgly diseases and maladies what rotting and burning what shame and confusion the Lord layeth euen in this life vpon vncleane persons besides the fearefull fall eternâ—ll that is assured afterward when this life is ended Meditate I say of these things and pray continually for grace and strength Say with the good old Father when any wicked motion péepeth vp O Lord helpe O Lord strengthen for I suffer violence and am assaulted c. 2 In the washing here mentioned and in the Atonement note the mercie of God towardes all miserable sinners and sée with comfort that although the fall of our first Parents hath thus blotted vs and spotted vs that indéede we are most vncleane yet ought wée not to despaire but take hold of him by a liuely Faith Who will not the death of a sinner but rather that hee should repent and liue disliking himselfe for his manifold sins and cleaning to his God for his manifold mercies And when you read thus often of water cleane not in the clement or creature of water but remember Saint Iohn that Iesus Christ came by water and blood and it is hee onely that washeth away our spots and saueth vs from our sinnes Water cannot do it nor any worke of ours but if wee wash our selues with snow water as Iob saith and purge our hands most cleane Yet shall he plunge vs in the pit and our owne clothes shall make vs filthy And by the Offering of the Turtles it was playnly figured that not in themselues but in some other they must bée made cleane from all their impurities I remember the Speach of a good Writer yet a Fryer and I pray you marke it There are some saith Hee That thinke themselues by and by made cleane if they shed a few teares and bewayle their sinnes Multiply their fasts and giue Almes c. But my Brethren although these bee good things yet they are not equiualent to our sinnes Thus breaketh trueth out of them that otherwise affected Rome Sée then how Poperie wrongeth the soules of men in sending them to the things that cannot helpe and drawing them deceitfull from the true and perfect sanctification and satisfaction of Christ Remember the words of One of theirs We runne with great boldnes to the Saintes that by their merites and prayers wee may come to immortalitie Come vnto her all ye that trauell and are heauie laden meaning the Virgin Marie and shee shall refresh and comfort your soules What is it to leaue the fountaines and springs of God and to digge vnto our selues Cisternes that can hold no water if
is Christ known but frō the rising of the sun to the going downe of the same c. Thus may we profit by their multiplication 2. The second head in this chapter is the crueltie of the Egyptians by meanes whereof a very bitter and heauie affliction followed this great and glorious multiplication The vse to our selues may bée this that euen so dooth aduersity follow prosperitie and therefore prosperity should euer prepare for aduersitie A wise man in his good day thinketh of his euill and dayly beholding the sunne ouer shadowed at times with a darke cloude maketh vse of it to his good Sorrow and ioy wil not dwell togither but by composition they were thus agréed as the Poets feigne that as soone as the one hath had a time the other shall enter and haue his time also the former passing away and giuing place Let no wise-man therefore say as Dauid said tush tush this estate shall neuer decay for the Lord turned his face and Dauid was soone troubled Iob on a day could not thinke on such a change as after happened to him and yet all to the glorie of God and his good No earthly father louing his childe doth forbeare to chastice him much lesse dooth the father of Spirits leaue his children without fit corvection since both hée loueth more and knoweth how better to correct for their good The path to heauen is beaten out through many tribulations and vp must euery man and woman take their crosse that will bée his in eternall comfort Let vs note againe in this place the causes of this their affliction oppression as the Spirit of wisedome for our good hath héere laide them downe The first is their very increasing and multiplying For the king saide Behold the people of the children of Israel are greater and mightier than we come let vs worke wiselie with them lest they multiply Where wée sée that Gods fauour bestowed in mercy where hée liketh is still an eye-sore to euill men matter inough for them to grinde and grate their téeth at and to cause them to enter into plots and conspiracies against them The eye of enuie looketh euer vpward who is aboue who riseth who prospereth who is well spoken of well thought of or any way fauoured by the Lord and as much grieued is a spitefull spirit at the good of an other as at the harme of himselfe Which Diogenes noted when hée saw a knowne enuious man looke sadde No man saith hée can now tell whether harme hath happened to this fellow or good to his neighbour for both alike vexe him It was the blot of Athens that renowned Citie to haue few of any excellent vertue escape the rage of enuie in it but that either they were disgraced or banished or put to death in the end Those whom no sword of hating foe could daunt in the field enuie vanquished at home in the Citie deprauing their seruices blotting their names and breaking at last their guiltlesse hearts Which made the Philosopher prescribe this remedie against enuie whē one asked him how he might auoide it Euen neither to do nor say any good thing Thus did enuie rage against their multiplying héere And if Gods actions escape not mans malice shall yours shall mine shall any mans no no praemoniti praemuniti forewarned forearmed the streame ran euer so and God make vs euer patient and strong to go on in our duties A second cause of this affliction is a suspicious feare which entreth into these Egyptians that if there should be warre the Israelites would ioyne themselues to the enemie fight against them and so get themselues out of the land Such fruite groweth vpon such trées misdéeming thoughts causelesse iealousie vaine feares and all vniust opinions Why surely because it is the course that God hath in his word threatned to wicked persons which feare not him as they ought to doe Astonishment of heart a trembling heart feare both night and day c. reade the scriptures and you shall finde much proofe of what I say Suspect bewrayes our thoughts betrayes our words suspicious eies are messengers of woe Well fares that man howsoeuer his meate doth tast that tables not with foule suspition Better to die then to be suspitious Trust not too soone nor yet too soone mistrust for mistrust will treason in the trustiest raise The heart being once infect with iealousie the night is griefe the day is miserie Jealousie is the torment of the minde for which no wit or counsell helpe can finde Suspition wounds and iealousie striketh dead Causelesse and vndeserued suspition sendeth manie an one too swiftlie to their end These sayings of wise and true experience should much moue euery wise person We sée what we nurse when wee nourish this vice And if all this should not moue vs yet let our owne credite moue vs which by this meanes is shrewdly drawne in question the knowne versés saying thus Too much suspition of another is A flat condemning of thine owne amisse A third cause of their affliction was a new King she former being dead vnder whom they felt no such miserie Which may iustlie occasion vs to note carefullie what danger often is in change of Gouernours if the Lord be not mercifull Salomon may haue his wants but when his sonne commeth in his place he thundreth and telleth the people that his little finger shall be heauier vpon them than all his fathers hand This might we as déepelie haue tasted of as euer did these Israelites if God almightie had not thought vpon mercie in stead of iudgement The great neglect of those gracious daies which vnder the blessed gouernment of Quéene Elizabeth our late renowned souereigne wee comfortablie enioyed deserued punishment in a high degrée we must néedes confesse if we will say truth yet in steade thereof our most swéete God whose goodnes knoweth neither bottome nor measure hath raised vp ouer vs such a King againe as both so firmelie is fastned to the loue of the Gospell and so enriched with all other princelie vertues either of nature or grace as not onelie we with bowed knées may euer praise the name of God but all forreigne Nations speake and write of so admirable mercie vouchsafed vnto vs God for his Christes sake make vs thankfull That the King knewe not Ioseph Diuines say it was either for want of reading the Histories or because vnthankfullie hee contemned the good that was done in other times and to other men S. Augustine héere giueth a note how men may know what King ruleth within them to whose words I refer the reader And let this forgetting of Ioseph that is of the seruice and good that Ioseph did to all that land of Egipt in the great famine mentioned in Genesis be the fourth and last cause of this affliction And this indéede if you marke it is a mother of great mischiefe wheresoeuer it is euen this forgetting of such benefites as we ought neuer to
pittifullest manner that it could therby desiring to be saued from the destroyer yet could they not help it must away to the riuer to the riuer it must be drowned without all remorse and pitie Let it worke in our hard hearts some true féeling of our happie fréedome from such miserie and earnest prayer to the God of mercie that euer he would continue freedome vnto vs. 3. It is said also the child was faire What God had appointed him for you knowe and now sée how the Lord gaue what with men might giue him more grace Uertue in a faire bodie is more acceptable And often in children appeareth some signe of future vertue wherewith God purposeth to endue them when they are men Beautie and comlinesse either in men or women is the gift of God but a greater gift it is to haue grace withall to liue vertuouslie Sarai Rebecca Rachel among women were verie faire and most vertuous withall Salomon speaketh of others beautifull also but not good Prou. 6. 27. Prou. 11. 22. Ioseph Saul Absolon among men were goodly personages but Iosephs pietie was more glorious than all his beautie Thanke GOD for his mercie in your selfe and your children and to supplie all defects beséech him in your prayer you shall finde the comfort and the benefit of it If fauour be but hard remember S. Bernard It is a happie blacknes in bodie which is accompanied with a whitenesse in minde Many haue béene hard fauoured and yet endued with excellent parts Philopaemen a Grecian Captaine verie deformed excelled most men in Militarie matters Acsope very hard fauored yet most wittie Socrates full of imperfections in shape and yet who more famous for wisedome Apollo his oracle gaue him preheminence Thus might I tell you manie Stories but you sée the Meditation sufficientlie followe it further as you sée cause Blessed be God that euery way giueth vs comfort Xerxes that had that huge armie yet is said to haue béene the goodliest man of them all Plutarch in the life of Demetrius saith hee was so passing in face and countenance that no Painter or Picture-maker was able to drawe him Of Scipio Africanus he saith that the Barbarians in Spaine stoode amazed at his comlinesse Suetonius writeth of the goodlie Eie of Augustus Caesar What an excellent personage Charles the great had Paulus Aemilius sheweth in his third booke Maximilian the first had such a Presence Maiestie that a stranger is said among 30. great Princes to have noted him out hauing neuer séene him before But I forget my selfe out of a desire to giue you occasion to thinke of more 4. But was onlie the fairenesse of the childe that made the mother hide him No euerie creature thinketh his owne faire This therefore is somewhat but not all Nature had a sway and yet aboue all Gods Spirit telleth vs of another thing which wee must marke namely of faith For by faith saith he by the Apostle to the Hebrewes Moses when he was borne was hid thrée moneths by his parents because they sawe hee was a proper childe neither feared they the Kings commaundement Faith beléeued that God would one day release them and not any longer suffer them so cruellie to be oppressed In hope therefore of the same they vsed meanes hiding him as they could and leauing the successe to God Their eies could not sée any way of safetie much lesse that way which after fell out but their hearts hoped their soules prayed and vpon him they fixed both heart and soule who is Almightie All-mercifull All-swéete and kinde to his distressed seruants then néerest when he séemeth furthest then strongest when hee séemeth weakest then swéetest when hee seemeth lowrest and then vp in wrath to reuenge our wrongs when the world doth thinke hee hath forgotten vs. Such faith then let vs marke and pray for in the euill day doubt not the Lord distrust not his helpe shift along in his holy feare with such lawfull meanes as you possiblie can commend the blessing of them to him and let him euer doe his owne will 5. But alas she could not long keepe him thus Three moneths she did it by secret hiding but then saith the Storie she could no longer so cruell were their hearts and so narrowe was the search that hee must away a case more than bitter as hath beene saide But what helpe now for this guiltlesse babe See an excellent woman full of faith in her God when she could no longer hide him she deuised for him a little arke made of réede and dawbed it with 〈◊〉 and pitch putting the childe in it and setting it among the bulrushes by the riuer side appointing her daughter the childs sister to watch the same so committing that thing to her mightie God which her selfe could not keepe from a bloodie tyrant neuer yeelding but in hope still euen as it were past hope depended faithfullie and constantly vpon her God for the safetie of her child 6. And what did the father all this while that the scripture still mentioneth the mother saying shee did and shee did Trulie of like all vexed amazed and tormented with she woe of it stoode as a man shiftlesse not séeing what to doe The woman enabled by God is the better man quicker and prompter for deuise in so touching an extremitie shee deuiseth what hee liketh and shee performeth what God blesseth In the weaker vessell Gods strength was more séene and hee doth enable them now and then for that purpose The knowledge of it must yéeld them a fit regard and men may not euer disdaine to followe them by whom they sée God sometimes doth worke Manie men haue béene well aduised by their wiues and the womans counsell not followed you reade in Scripture hath turned sometimes to the mans woe You remember the particular Haue not thou to doe with that iustman with diuers others 7. The childe thus placed by the water side and his sister watching a farre off as though she knewe not of it to sée what would become of her little brother what falleth out O depth of Gods mercie and goodnes downe commeth that way to wash her selfe in the riuer Pharaohs daughter euen this cruell Pharaohs daughter called of some Thermutis walking by the riuer side with her maydes spies the arke among the bul-rushes and sent her mayde to fetch it when shee opened it behold little Moses in it and the poore babe wept vpon her begging by teares as well as it could some mercie and pittie against the bloodie lawe of her father Shée had compassion and conceaued rightlie that it was one of the Hebrewes children By all which what may we learne but first that there is no rocke more sure nor refuge more comfortable when mans power faileth than Gods gracious prouidence for there is no temptation so great whereunto that cannot giue an issue Secondly how able God is to dispose of men and womens courses otherwise than at the
of thy land the increase of thy kine and the flockes of thy Sheepe Cursed shalt thou be when thou commest in and cursed when thou goest out The Lord shall send vppon thee cursing trouble and shame in al that which thou settest thine hand to doo vntill thou be destroyed and perish quickly because of the wickednesse of thy workes whereby thou hast forsaken me Take we héede therfore we were best of Pharaohs obstinacy disobedience against God against his Worde and against his Seruaunts and messengers sent vnto vs for our good lest this heape of curses light vpon vs and euen All the Lords plagues punish vs. Wee may note againe how he calleth them his plagues saying all my plagues and learne thereby that neither Fortune nor Chaunce ruleth rods and crosses layd vpon vs but these thinges still are Gods tooles whereby he either boweth or breaketh men women that are warped and cast aside being by him layde on and taken off at his pleasure So said our Sauiour to his Persecutor thou couldest haue no power ouer mee except it were giuen thee from aboue This well remembred will make vs sée and discerne God in our sicknes in our losse of friends or goods in our woes and wants whatsoeuer they be and the sooner stoope vnder his hand and be turned to his will Our hearts will say within vs This is Gods hand this is his blowe O soule turne turne and be reformed thou maist goe no further in this way thou maist not resist him that is too strong for thée Witches Sorcerers Théeues Robbers Raylers Slaunderers and Oppressours whatsoeuer that haue done mee wrong I looke not at them otherwise than at God his rods for all plagues I sée in this Text are his plagues and he ruleth all casting these rods into the fire when his childe is humbled and reformed Blessed therefore is the man that feareth alway but hee that hardeneth his heart shall fall into euill 9. God saith hee will send all these plagues vpon his heart which besides the Note in your Bibles margine may signifie that they should touch him inwardly and déepely so doth God daily where he is angrie and so can God doo with vs if wee prouoke him To smite vs in armes hands legges or the like parts is gréeuous vnto vs and bitter but when sorrowe is laide vpon the heart it stingeth indéede and most bitterly which He would expresse that said Sorrowe hath pierced my head shewed it selfe at the windowes and sunke downe to my heart Degrées of woe all bitter but the last most of all to be feared for looke what the moath is to the garment and the worme to the wood such is the sorrowe of the heart And therefore saith Salomon againe Sorrowe or heauines in the heart of man doth bring it downe and in another place A sorrowfull minde drieth the bones And by the sorrowe of the heart the minde is heauie Poets would expresse as much when they termed sorrowe and care eating and biting The way to preuent this dolefull sorrowe of heart laide on by an angrie God is to take our sinnes to heart betimes and by true repentance to fâ—ie from them which God for his mercie sake graunt wee may doo 10. The 16. and 17. verses to our great good instruct vs concerning wicked men that indéede as Pharaoh héere so are they appointed of God and they can doo but what He will haue them howsoeuer yet they not considering thus much exalt themselues against Gods people often as héere did this Tyrant Feare not therefore their feare but settle this doctrine soundly in your harts leaue all to God Hee that raised them for his Will can kéepe them within the limits of his Will and that Will to vs can neuer be hurtfull if wee dutifully commend our selues to it 11. Thus God hath giuen Pharaoh warning what Judgements are hanging ouer his head readie forthwith to fall vpon him vnlesse he yéeld to dismisse his people out of Egypt Yet sée and neuer forget it whilest you liue In the middest of all this wrath the Lord remembreth mercie And biddeth them be warned to send for their Cattell into the house for feare of the haile which was to come For vpon all the men beasts which were found abroade should the hayle fall and they die Why what then should not all this haue béene most iust in God they being so rebellious sinners It is very true if they had all died it had béene most iust Neuerthelesse euen to such sinners the Lord would haue his mercie extended And therefore if euer any man or woman shall doubt of mercy from such a God it is a wrong it is a sinne intollerable For he that is thus to Lyons raging and roaring against him can hee be hard to his little Lambes that religiouslie trust in him Shall you and I be cast away when Pharaoh is respected No it hath not béene it shall not be it connot be so with the Lord. Quicke is the eye of him to sée the feares of his Children euer and with a tender hart he sendeth comfort in his good time Déere and gracious Father confirme the hearts of thy little Flocke in the swéete assurance of this thy goodnes euermore and in my blessed Sauiour thy beloued Sonne accept the hidden thankfull thoughts of my soule for what I haue found at thy gracious hand in mine owne particular and pardon my wants Amen Amen 12 Such then as feared the word of the Lord among the seruaunts of Pharaoh saith the Text made his Seruants Cattell fly into the houses But such as regarded not the word of the Lord left his seruaÌ„ts his cattel in the field Quare grandinem illaturus denunciauit illis vti pecora domuÌ„ cogerent Dominus cum sit humanissimus miserecordia temperat suppplica Alioqui etiam nouerat quosdam esse venia dignos quod non tacet Scriptura Diuina Qui enim ait ex seruis Pharaonis timuit verbum domini peccora sua domum coegit c. Why did the Lord being purposed to bring haile vpon them admonish them to fetch their cattell into the house Euen because hee being most gentle would temper punishment with mercie And againe he knew there were some differing from others more to be respected which the Scripture doth not conceale when it saith So many of Pharaoh his Seruants as feared the word of the Lord fetched their Cattell into the house c. As followeth in Theodoret and Saint Agustine vpon this place Such and so diuerse is the fruite of the selfe same worde of God spoken at one time by one man to one people Some regard it and doo thereafter some neglect and doo contrarie The greatest Moses must reckon of this and being forewarned be also forearmed against the discoÌ„fort that followeth of it Let the people also obserue that such only are saide here to feare the word of the Lord as did obey it
the Similitude of Locusts foretell this rabble in time to come into the world Thirdly Grashoppers doo eate-vp destroy all greene things and fruites of the earth And euen so these Antichristian Locusts Swarmes of Romish Fryers and such like left not a greene thing vndeuoured that is not a good soyle and seate in any Land wherein they clapt not downe themselues had a house built and possessed the pleasure and profit thereof till God in mercy to his Church sent a strong winde and blew them away Fourthly Grashoppers are said and written of to be insatiable euer hungry whilest they liue Locusta enim quasi tota vena est ideo insatiabilis quam diu viuit semper esurit And were not the Romish Locusts so to I pray you in their time and yet still are where they haue place The world with many wofull complaints hath left their insatiable deuouring testified to all posterity Fiftly one Grashopper alone is very contemptible and no man feareth him but in Swarmes they are as terrible on the other side to a whole Land Euen so Romish Locusts Priests Fryers and such like one of any sort alone without dread but beware heapes Swarmes of them for by their multitude they haue dared and wronged great Princes Sixtly the Grashoppers leape and sing and play all Sommer long so did these rabble plentifully take their pleasure all the time of their Sommer liued in idlenes vpon other mens labours singing and saying sporting and playing and who durst say nay Lastly Locusta est animal paruulum inter volatile reptile medium pestis tanta vt ab Ethnicis Deorum ira dicatur The Grashopper saith Chrysostome neither properly flying nor creeping but as it were a middle thing betwixt both such a plague that the Heathens haue called it The wrath of God So write the Papists or Romish Locusts of their Head the Pope that he is neither méerely a man nor absolutely a God but a middle creature betwixt both and then wee dare add that hee is such a plague as truly we may terme The wrath of God Thus might I goe forward in this resemblance and shew you how fitly the holy Spirite of God foretold of these swarmes vnder the name of Locustes but this much sheweth you the way and you your selfe may think of mo agréements Now marke you the wordes in the Reuelation and as by this which I haue saide you haue séene how like the Popish Clergie is to Grashoppers in some conditions so there shall you see how like they are to the description of Locustes there made by Saint Iohn that euery way you may be sure the Prophecy in the Apocalips noted out these creatures First it is said vnto them was giuen power as the Scorpions of the earth haue power Now we reade that the Scorpion is a flattering beast and in the middest of his flattery with the sting of his tayle woundeth to death So were and are these Popish Locustes euer full of flattery and fawning and in the middest thereof full of poyson striking to death with their stings of false Doctrine as many as they can fasten the same in Againe the Scorpions sting at the first maketh no great payne but after it hath crept abroad and dispersed his venome in the bodie it killeth most cruelly and without remedie so the stinging perswasions of Romish Locustes appeare not at first so dangerous but when they haue gotten strength the partie hardly euer recouereth The Doctrine of Free iustification in the blood of Christ is hid from Gods people and condemned as heresie All assurance of Gods fauour all peace of conscience all ioy in the Holy-Ghost quite destroyed Men are sent to séeke ease in the Merite of their owne workes in Popes Pardons and Indulgences in running on pilgrimage to this Idoll and that in punishing their bodies by fastings whippings and such like inuentions and yet are they not eased hereby but torments of conscience as the venome of these Scorpion-like Locustes which haue stinged them still remaine bitter and heauie vpon them Then must they build Abbeies giue money for Trentals of Masses then sing sing ring ring cast Pardons into the graue call for the poore giue almes and what not Judge now if this kind of power of these Locustes be not as the power of Scorpions vpon earth as Saint Iohn speaketh and be you most assured that God pointed at them in this Prophetic that wee might be forewarned and so forearmed against them Secondly it is saide in the Apocalyps how to those Locustes was commaunded that they should not hurt the grasse of the earth neither any greene thing neither any tree but onely those men which haue not the Scale of God in their fore-heades And how fitly agréeth this to the Romish Locustes For there be in the world two sorts of people one that wittingly and willingly will run after their own woe and are bitter professed 〈…〉 ies of the Truth whom God in his Justice hath reiected not scaled that other sort is of them which not malitiously but of méere ignorance go awrie béeing desirous to doo wel yet in their simplicity deceaued and abused by crafty Juglers The former sort onely are those whom these Locustes can hurt The latter in Gods infinite goodnesse is exempt as greene things which he will not haue harmed and as persōs sealed in their foreheades which the former wanted A swéete Testimony of the power and mercy of our most gratious Father who in the very middest of darknesse euen when Antichrist is at his height can preserue his chosen from any hurt by those swarmes of Locustes which haue great power giuen them to hurt others The obseruing whereof much doth inable vs to answere that scale obiection Where was your Church before Luther Surely in the middest of these Locustes Scorpions and Hornets yet by the power of an Almighty God preserued from hurt as you sée heere these greene things were But you may thinke how can this be Are all those whom these Romish Locustes sting with any false and erronious opinion cast away and damned this were hard and if not how then is it said that they shall not haue power to hurt the Elect The next verse in the Reuelation answereth the matter where lest any should mistake the word of hurting the holy Ghost sheweth what hee meaneth by it namely that they should not kill the Elect but onely such as were not sealed Hurt then the Elect may be or as it is there vexed fiue moneths and their paine shall be as the paine that commeth of a Scorpion which hath stung a man but killed they shall not be that is finally ouer-throwne and cast away touching eternall life Grashoppers come in Aprill and liue till September fiue moneths and then are gone so may the Elect be afflicted for a time and hurt in their goods and bodies friends as Iob was but September will come when the Locusts shall
by reason knowledge so differeth one man from another by more more knowledge in this Booke Woe to those Teachers then that lull vs a sléepe and tell vs that Ignorance is the Mother of Deuotion that giue vs not leaue either to reade or pray or doo any duty in a tongue that we know but like those cursed Scribes and Pharises those hypocrites shut vp the Kingdome of Heauen before men neither going in themselues nor suffering others that would enter to come in Let this now spoken make vs sée their fault and that miserie so to liue as also this most swéet blessing of knowledge now vouchsafed to vs by the mercie of God through the happy gouernment of his Annointed seruant our déere and dread Souereigne and sending vp to God our thankfull thoughts both for it and him and begging the continuance of both long and long vnto vs. 2. It followeth in your Chapter But all the children of Israel had light where they dwelt Which surely was a very admirable thing the houses of Egyptians and Israelites ioyning as it should séeme one close to another as ours in these daies doo For else why should the blood be striked vpon the doore posts of the Israelites for a signe to the destroying Angell where to kill and where to passe ouer if all the Israelites had dwelt by themselues and had not béene mingled with the Egyptians This minde was Gregory Nyssen of and therefore hee saith Nontantum in Gosen vbi cōmuniter morabantur sed cum inter Aegyptios promiscue etiam habitarent in hoc maximum miraculum Not onely in Gosen where onely Israelites for the most part dwelled but among the Egyptians being mingled and dwelling together the Israelites had light and the Egyptian darknes And heerein was the greatest miracle The good wee may take by this strange worke of GOD is first to learne how able our Heauenly Father is to make a separation betwixt his Children and the Wicked when he executeth wrath and Justice if his good pleasure be so to doo though they be in one field together in one house together and in one bed together yet can bee choose the one and refuse the other Wherefore true is that Saying of the Psalme If his wrath be kindled but a little Blessed are all they that put their trust in him Feare wee not then in the time of Plague of Warre or other Publique calamitie least we should perish with the wicked hand ouer head but remember this Place and say in your heart with comfort and faith O Lord my GOD and gracious Father I knowe thine able hand to make a separation if thou please in this calamitie betwixt thy poore Lambes and the Goates as thon diddest in that darknes betwixt the Israelites and Egyptians therefore I flie vnto thee in humble acknowledgement of my sinne and for him that had no sinne I begge that if thy good pleasure may bee so thou wouldest vouchsafe to saue mee from this Sword of thine to let the light of thy mercie and louing countenance shine about my dwelling as thy chéerefull light did about the Israelites So shall my soule and heart euer praise Thee and thanke Thee But if otherwise LORD and Father thy Will bee done and not mine onely in the world to come acknowledge mee as I doo not doubt but thou wilt and it shall suffice Secondly let this place be obserued as a very plaine Figure of that which wee sée amongst vs euery day At one house dwelt an Egyptian and it was all darke at the next an Israelite and it was all light so nowe at one house dwelleth a superstitious Recusant or a prophane Atheist and all is darke At the verie next house dwelleth a zealous Professour of the truth who readeth the Scriptures heareth them preached frequenteth the Sacraments and faithfully laboureth that himselfe with his whole Familie may liue according to the Word and héere is all light which shall leade to the light eternall with God and all his hoste when the good houre commeth God strengthen our hearts euermore in the loue of this light and make vs truly thankfull for these lightsome daies Amen 3. The couetousnes of this great Tyrant verse 24 shadowing the greedie mindes of all Persecutors The stoute care of godlie Moses to haue the Lords whole Will performed and not to rest in a part verse 25. 26. The fearefull driuing away of Moses from his presence shewing the rags of Tyrants towardes their end to bee greater and so comforting the godlie that when they sée the like they may knowe the time is not long and remembring vs what a dangerous thing it is to driue away Gods Ministers from vs with diuers other things in the ver 28. and 29. because I haue béeste too long in this Chapttrr I will leaue to your owne Meditation and so end héere CHAP. 11. There is nothing more common both in these Bookes of Moses and other Bookes of Scripture than to set that after which in precise order was to goe before so is it in this Place For what now is said in these first Eight verses of this Chapter by due order should be put before the 28. verse of the former Chapter which if you doo and bring in the 28. verse after those words in the 8. verse And after this I will depart then the 29. verse of the former Chapter will followe well and after that the end of the 8. verse of this Chapter to wit So he went out from Pharaoh very angry c. The chiefe Heads of this Chapter are these three 1. A Denuntiation of a new plague 2. An Admonition to the Israelites what to do 3. The Plague it selfe 1. COncerning the first it is contained as you sée in these wordes Yet will I bring one plague more vpon Pharaoh and Egypt And to make vse to our selues of it you that are acquainted by your priuate reading with the Course of the Scriptures very well knowe the manner of Gods dealing in this matter from the beginning to the end First how milde it was then how by degrées it encreased to sharper and sharper till the deliuerance of his Church and people were effected At the first he appointed Moses and Aaron with the Elders of Israel to goe to Pharaoh and to entreate him mildly and dutifullie saying The Lord God of the Hebrewes hath met with vs WEE PRAY THEE therefore let vs goe three daies iourney into the Wildernes that we may sacrifice vnto the Lord our God But this praying would not serue wherefore the Lord went néerer them by great and powerfull wonders yet by degrées touching them and not with the greatest at the first He caused Moses rod to be turned to a Serpent c. A thing that hurt them not yet in all reason should haue moued them Then he turned their waters into blood which did somewhat touch them After when that preuailed not hee annoyed them
ayme at the marke neuer so right and draw vp his â—owe neuer so stedfastly yet if his loose be not good but his hand starteth aside and swarueth at the point he misseth So we in death which is our last loose not guided by Gods holy Spirit may mar all And therefore we pray and euer should pray that till our end and in our end the Lord would vpholde vs in our strength and giue vs a gracious departure in him For as for that vaine Fable of helpe after death in Purgatorie it serued to rake vp the fat of the earth to those idle bellies and to shift away with faire words and promises those poore soules that shaked quaked after all their works not finding any sufficiencie in them to appease Gods wrath who could neuer returne being once dead to tell them they lied in so teaching the people that Masses Trentalls could helpe after death But for vs we know the Scriptures that as the tree falleth either towards the North or towards the South in the place it falleth there it shall bee Heauen wee reade of and Hell wee reade of but a Third place we finde not Lazarus was caried into Heauen and the rich Glutton into Hell They that haue done well saith the Catholique Faith shall goe into life euerlasting and they that haue done euill into euerlasting fire There is no Third place there mentioned to be beléeued and it is the Catholique Faith which except euery man kéepe holy and vndefiled without doubt he shall perish euerlastingly Let counterfet Catholiques hold what they list they heare the danger S. Augustine agréeably héereunto saith Repentance is onely in this life S. Cyprian also Hic vel accipimus vel amittimus vitam aeternam Heere wee either hold or loose life eternall meaning that if wee die well wee holde it and if wee die ill wee loose it there being no more helpe after death S. Basil againe pretily saith Post mercatum solutum nullus negociatur After the Market is ended there is neither buying nor selling and when I am dead the Market is ended with mee Wherefore let all our care be to take time while time serueth to liue well and doo well according to the rule prescribed and not according to our fancies or any mans inuention that a good life may haue a good death in Gods great mercie and goodnes Then for the place leaue it to God as also the manner and remember well that from euery Kingdome and Country from euery Towne and house yea from all corners and places whatsoeuer there is a readie way to Heauen To which agréeth that pretie Conference betwixt the Husbandman the Sayler wherein the Husbandman asked whether the Saylers father liued or no he answered no. Where died he said the Husbandman At sea saith the Sailer And where your Grandfather At sea also And where your great Grandfather At sea still saith the Sailer Good Lord then saith the Husbandman do not you feare to go to sea since so many of your Ancestors died there I pray you saith the Sailer let me likewise know of you before I answere you whether your Father liue or no and hée answered no. Where then died hee In his bed saith the Husbandman And where your Grandfather and Great Grandfather In their beds also saith hee I thanke God And good Lord then saith the Sayler are not you also afraide to goe to bed since so many of your Ancestors died there So one Question quit another wittily and both of them should teach vs that no place can hurt a setled Christian but as well from Sea as Land the Lord can giue a gracious passage to his Kingdome which hea in mercie graunt vs euer 4. In the death of the first borne Note againe the degrées of Gods punishments in these plagues First hee touched their water sent them Frogges Flies Lice and such other things gréeuous indéede but not so néere them as their goods Secondly the Lord touched their goods A greater plague than the former yet not so néere them as their owne bodies Thirdly therefore hee touched their very bodies by biles and blisters botches and sores verie gréeuous vgly yet he spared their liues But now when all the former would not serue he commeth to life it selfe and smiteth all their first borne that there was no house wherein was not death that of the déerest What may we then sée but a continual encreasing of Gods wrathfull scourges rods as long as wee shall spurne against him and not obey his holy wil Let it touch vs and turne vs awake vs and warne vs to take vp betimes How long we haue followed our owne waies and cast behinde vs the waies of God the Lord knoweth well and wee must also consider What crosses and losses haue likewise béene imposed vpon vs hitherto should bee remembred For they haue all béene Gods messengers as these plagues were to Pharaoh to drawe vs to obedience and if they will not serue the Lord will write as some Judges doo ad grauiora that is the Lord wil encrease his wrath as he did here till it come to very life it selfe Which being once lost in his displeasure the soule also is lost with the body and both of them sent to during woe for euer Urge him then no further as this cursed Pharaoh did but to day if you will heare his voice turne vnto him in true amendment of life and hee shall turne vnto you in mercie and loue eternall 5. Yea Sir God may happily deale thus with some poore people for example sake but he will regard the better sort of men and women who are of reputation in the world and not bring these heauie thinges vpon them But no saith your Chapter heere for this plague must light vpon all sorts from the first borne of Pharaoh which sitteth vpon the throne vnto the first borne of the Maid-seruant that grindeth at the Mill yea the Lord will not spare the very beasts No honours therefore or riches no friends or strength no pompe or port in this world may defend from him but he will smite all degrées and therefore let all degrées profit by it He will bring downe the mightie from their seates and cast euen Crownes vnto the dust Golde and Siluer are drosse before him and nothing can helpe but a reformed heart The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit A broken and a contrite heart the Lord shall neuer despise Trust to this but bid all earthly Titles stand aloofe for they will not serue 6. Then there shall be a great crie throughout all the Land of Egypt such as was neuer none like nor shall be This is a consequent of Gods Plagues euer wheresoeuer they light Cries and great Cries woes and great woes But shall any good Childe offend his Heauenly Father till he force him to make him crie Shall wee not thinke of the daies of truth and peace till wee heare in euery
the destroying Angell as many as should be sprinkled with it that is should make particular application of it to themselues For it is not the blood without sprinkling will helpe Christ dying for all sufficientlie but not effectuallie because all take not holde of the fruite of him 8. It was to bee eaten rost with fire not rawe nor boyled or sodden in water â—ery aptlie shadowing the bitter passion which our Sauiour should endure beeing indéede tormented in the most cruell manner they could Cuius corpus acerbissimis cruciatibus in cruce inassatâ—m ac veluti torrefactuus errat VVhose body was rosted and as it were broyled with bitter cruelties of despite and paine Also it must be eaten with vnleauened bread that such bread might put them euer in remembrance of the sodaine and hastie manner of their deliuerance when they were forced to carie their dough vnleauened vpon their backes ver 34. Againe because Leauen signifieth both corrupt Doctrine and corrupt manners Math. 16. 12. Therfore by vnleauened bread was taught and shadowed that wee must abstaine from both if wee will be worthie partakers of Christ in the Sacrament Seauen daies together to eate such bread ver 15. 19. 20. represented vnto them how serious and continued their meditation should be of such a Great mercie as their Deliuerance was And if they so of the shadowe what we of the truth namely of our Deliuerance from Hell death Deuill and damnation Is a light short and perfunctorie Remembrance of these things once at Easter enough for a Christian man or woman no no and therefore carie another care with you or else be assured it will be easier for the Iewe than for you in that day 9. It was to be eaten with sower hearbes to represent againe the sowernes of the passion of Christ Iesus whose gripes and touching woes the Euangelists set out in many words as that his soule was heauie vnto the death his cries strong O Father Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me his prayer so vehement his agonie so great that blood for sweate burst out of his face and an Angell was sent to comfort him Were not these sower hearbes c. Others thinke they were willed to vse these hearbs to put themselues euer in minde of their sower estate in the Land of Egypt vnder Pharaoh and his Officers out of all which miserie they were deliuered by a gracious God either the one vse or the other was fit 10. Nothing must be reserued till the morning but if any were left it was to be burned with fire to shew both literally mystically that both they and all true beleeuers should be fully deliuered they out of Egypt and both they and all the Faithfull out of sinnes Bondage by the true Paschal Lambe Wherefore as then it should haue béene a gréeuous transgression to reserue part and not wholly to eate it making a diuision of that which ought to be whole so now is it as odious damnable before God to receaue the Bread and not the Cup as Poperie teacheth to doo or to affirme that Christ hath fréed vs from originall sinne but left vs to our selues to make satisfaction for our other sinnes partly in this life and partly in Purgatorie For this is not to eate the Lambe whole but to make a diuision and to reserue part till the morning Their Apish burning also of their consecrated Hosts vpon occasion may héere be thought vpon and more and more their absurd imitations of these Mosaicall Ceremonies be noted Praecepit prius numeros sufficientes ad esum Agni simul imolare pascha docens eos fraternam charitatem miserecordiam erga pauperes Iam admonet vt reliquiae carnium comburantur nec seruentur in posterum diem hoc pacto compelleus illos accersere egenos ad festum communiter celebrandum Deinde quód vetat carnium quippiam relinqui in crastinum sic intelligimus quód futura vita symbolis non indiget ipsas enim res tunc intuebimur Hee commaunded before saith Theodoret a sufficient number to eate the Passeouer teaching them thereby brotherly Charitie and mercie to the poore Now hee admonisheth that what was left should be burned and not reserued till the next day so as it were compelling them to call the poore and needie to them Againe in that nothing must be left till the morrowe wee may vnderstand by it how in the life to come there shal be no vse of signes for as much as we shall behold the things theÌ„selues Now the paschal Lamb we know was a signe c. 11. They must eate it with their loines girt their shooes on their feete their staues in their hands c. That is they must eate it like passengers and trauellers ready to depart figuring so in shew that whosoeuer is a right Eater of the true paschal Lambe Christ Iesus by beléeuing on him hee must not stick downe his staffe in this world and say in his heart It is good being here but he must euer estéeme him selfe as a pilgrime and stranger haue his loynes girt his shooes on and his staffe in his hand readie to depart when the Lord calleth without any looking backe vnto Sodom and sinfull cleauing to this wicked world for we haue not heere an abiding Citie Which how they doo who make this world their GOD much more thinking of it both by day night than they doo of God would be thought of whilest there is time to amend the fault Surely this kinde of men women eate not the passeouer as they ought and therefore their danger is great Note also by the way how He saith it was the Lords passeouer when it was but a Signe of his passing ouer like vnto that Gen. 17. ver 13. with many more Whether they sate or stoode if you aske I take it to be out of Question that they stood but afterward when they were deliuered they sate as we reade of Christ with his Disciples To giue a reason wherof some say that it was the manner of seruants to stand of freemen to sit therefore they now stood as a token of their bondage and seruitude in Egypt but afterward being deliuered they sate in token of their fréedome Yet I rather thinke that they after sate because they vsed after the passeouer eaten to take their owne Supper to bid the poore to them thankfully distributing Gods gifts reioycing for Gods great mercies to them We kneele at our eating and it is the fittest and most séemely manner for vs offering to God our prayers thanksgiuing as we doo When in the 12. verse God said I will execute iudgement vpon all the Gods of Egypt S. Hierome reporteth it out of the Hebrew Writers that in the very same night they departed out of Egypt Omnia Egypti templa destructa fuisse sine terrae motu siue iactu fulminum All the Temples of Egypt were ouer-throwne either
extremity to make the waters sweere withall 4 There he made them an ordinance and a lawe and there he prouoked them and said If thou wilt diligently hearken O Israel vnto the voice of the Lord thy GOD and wilt doo that which is right in his fight and wilt giue eare vnto his Commaundements and keepe all his Ordinances then will I put none of these diseases vpon thee which I brought vpon the Egyptians for I am the Lord that healeth thee Where the Lord tryed them by want of water there he also admonished them by his Word declaring vnto them their inst deseruing of such Plagues and diseases as were inflicted vpon the Egyptians from which they had béene frée hitherto onely by his frée mercy and goodnesse and acquainting them that the only way for them so to continue still was to hearken to his Will and to obey the same otherwise he being the only Author of health it could not be so with them Which word of his let it informe vs what also is our defence from all euill certainely euen the same LORD and none but Hee The way also to obtaine it the very same that was then To hearken and to obey not our willes but his not our wisdomes but his 〈◊〉 our lawes but his This this shall abide and 〈◊〉 and only this All mans deuises and will worship shall varnth as vile from before him Consider well of the Psalme where first is put forgiuenesse of Sins and then the healing of all infirmities 5. Then came they to Elim where were twelue fountaines of water and seuenty Palme trees and they camped there by the waters So commeth comfort after sorrow and plenty after scarcety For now they haue 12. fountaines of water and goodlie trees to yéelde them cooling shadowes for their comfort And surely the trialls of the Church or of any particular member therein shall haue a ioyful end and though they be neuer so many yet the Lord deliuereth out of them all Who would not trust then in such a God and tarry his time that neuer faileth God for his mercy sake giue vs faith and constant patience Amen Amen CHAP. 16. The generall Heades of this Chapter are chiefely these The grieuous murmuring of these Israelites The gift of Manna from heauen The lawes and Orders concerning the same 1. BEfore their murmuring there is in the first verse mention made of another camping namely in the Wildernesse of Sin which was the 8. place they had pitched in since their comming out of Egypt And in the booke of Numbers a particular Record is made of all the places together as likewise in an other place of that Booke That at the commaundement of the Lord they iournied and at the commaundement of the Lord they pitched By all which wée comfortably may sée that the Tabernacles or Tents of the Church and euery particular member are pitched where the Lord will and taken-vp and remooued when hée will and whither hée will For hée it is that gouerneth and guideth all these things euen as hée dooth all other matters in this world nothing is done without his Will. The lot is fallen to me saith the Prophet Dauid in a faire place I haue a goodly heritage Thereby ascribing to the Lord this honour that by him euery mans portion and place in this world is appointed He diuided the Land of Canaan and gaue to euery Tribe that part which by his seruant Iacob he had foretoldlong before Whiâ—h doctrine may yéelde euery heart patience and peace to be quiet and contented with Gods Will howsoeuer it be For beggars may be no choosers and wée are all his beggars that ruleth these things Haue I little it is his Will and I ought to be pleased Haue I more it is more mercy and God make me thankfull Thankfull for the one and thankfull for the other and euer contented with his Will My pitching is here or there by his prouidence in a faire house or a foule in a rich liuing or a small in a good countrie or a bad in England or in Fraunce and wheresoeuer or howsoeuer it is aboue my merit and therefore I should bée pleased and thankfull 2 The time is named to wit the fifteenth daie to let vs all know that euen so much more detestable was their ingratitude by how much the remembrance of so great and wonderfull a deliuerance from their enemies was more fresh in me 〈…〉 rie béeing solate And will it not bée so in vs Therefore thus wâ—ulde I haue vs profit by it euen to thinke in the Morning of our safety by his mercy all the Night And at Night of our safety all the daye And still 〈◊〉 of freshe fauoures which vnlesse I bee thankefull for I must néeâ—â—s bée a great offender séeing it is not possible to pleade forgetfulnesse in such fresh and newe thinges Nay if it were a fault in these Israelites to forget or to be dull in a matter of fiftéene dayesolde how much greater a fault in the morning to forget to bée thankfull for the nights mercy last before and but euen now ended but you sée my drift follow it further by yourselfe Surely surely fresh fauours would haue fresh remembrances and zealous and hearty thankes for them 3. Their murmuring is next spoken of and next by vs to bée considered A foule and grieuious fault euer but in this people so blessed with happie experiences of care and loue of might and mercy in their Allsufficient GOD more 〈…〉 nable and more odious than in others Whereupon the Apostle giueth them for an example to all people in all ages to learne to auoide this wickednesse saying Murmure nor as some of them murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer Numb 14. 36. For all these things came vppon them for examples and were written to admonish vs vppon whom the ends of the worlde are come The whole course of Gods sacred Scriptures crieth out of this sin in men and Women chiefely professing God For doo al things saith the same Apostle without murmuring reasoning And S. Peter Beyâ— harbâ—â—durs one to an other without murmuring The care of Ielousie saith Wisdome heareth all things the noise of grudgings shall not be hid Therefore beware of Murmuring which profiteth nothing and refraine your â—onge from slaunder for there is no word so secret which shall got for nought and the mouth that speaketh lies flayeth the soule Caine murmured and the Scripture noteth it as his sinne These Israelites were grieuous murmurers sometimes for their labour sometimes for drink sometimes for flesh sometimes in distrust to obtaine the Cittie so strongly walled sometimes for feare to bée killed of their enemies sometimes at GODS iustice vpon their disobedient bretheren sometimes for want of dainties as Figges Pomegranats Uines c. sometimes for that they were ouerdoied with Manna 〈◊〉 and for other like causes vpon all which the
good when hee might haue punished vs for our sinnes will not hée now doo vs good when through his grace we hate sinne in some measure sanctified by his holy Spirit Hee will he will and neuer feare therefore but cleaue fast Thinke with your selfe how the Fathers before the floud eating nothing but hearbes yet liued some seuen hundred some eight hundred some nine hundred yeares know by it that man liueth not by these meanes but if neither grasse nor corne nor any vsuall foode now amongest vs were in the earth yet could God Preserue vs and keepe vs both aliue and in health and in good liking But much more now by flesh and fish and his other good blessings can he do it Moses Elias liued forty daies without meate and the Israelites walked as I noted forty yeares in the wildernesse with the same apparrell not waxen olde By which and many such things mo in the Scriptures you see that the blessing of God is all in all and that these earthly meanes are but things giuen of GOD for our vse which yet he can want when hee will notwithstanding preserue vs. Up with your hart then how hard soeuer the world goeth with you and fix both heart and eies vpon GOD beléeue his Scriptures and reade them for your comfort all shal be well assure your selfe in his time 10 The Lord by Moses commaundeth a pot of this Manna to be kept in the Arke for a remembrance euer of this great miracle and so it was which very notably may teach vs euer to be carefull to keepe in minde the gracious fauoures of our good God shewed vnto vs and not to suffer them to be forgotten The Scripture often layeth this point before our eies if you remember As in Deut. Take heede to thy selfe and keepe thy soule diligently that thou forget not the things which thine eies haue seene and that they depart not out of thine heart all the daies of thy life but teach them thy sonnes and thy sons sonnes So in the sixt Chapter againe These wordes which I commaund thee this day shal be in thy heart And thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children shalt talke of them when thou tariest in thine house as thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp And thou shall binde them for a signe vpon thy hand and they shall be as frontlets betweene thine eyes Also thou shalt write them vpon the postes of thine house and vppon the gates c. When they passed ouer Iordā on dry land presently twelue stones were set vp for a remembrance Dauid in his Psalme Prayse the Lord O my Soule and forget not forget not all his benefits So the Fathers haue many good Sayings to this end As Saint Gregorie So much shall thy Soule finde more sweet rest in Heauen by how much thou giuest thy minde lesse rest in this Worlde from the continuall remembrance of GOD and his Workes If thy Corne lay in a low moiste and dankishe vault where it might putrifie and corrupt Wouldest thou not speedelie and carefully raise it vp to a higher and sweeter Place that so it might continue sweete Why then dooest thou suffer thy Minde to lye so lowe among the rotten thinges of this World that also will corrupt it with a grieuous corruption and dooest not spéedely and carefullie also raise it vp to a sweete remembrance of GODS fauoures and great workes for thee for thy Neighboures for thy Countrie for his Church and Children in all ages Here here is the sweete beeing of the Minde and not below Againe marke how the eyes of thy bodie if they bée in a smokie place are vered and grieued with that foule smoake and shedde out their teares to bee deliuered there hence So thinke of the light of thy minde that with vile thinges it is much offended but with remembrance of good things much pleased and bettered Euer therefore let it haue his comfort and looke vpon that pot of Manna which God hath giuen thee from heauen that is vpon his mercies and fauoures vouchsafed vnto thée many waies in thy life time which to thée are the Testimonies of his loue and gracious prouidence as this Manna here was to the Israelites Another saith Will the young Lamb be drawne from his damme or the young kid the young calfe the little chickens and such like will not they still kéepe with their kinde not stray away farre but run to the damme againe So certainely should our mindes not stray from our God and the thankfull remembrance of his mercies but euer kéepe here and tarie here and ioy here as in our swéete and quiet comfort A good carefull seruant is still in his Maisters eye and cannot abide to be farre off No more can the seruant of God assuredly bée pleased in the forgetfulnesse of his God and his great workes The fire of the Altar went not out either by night or by day No more should the fire within you that is the heate of thankfull féeling and due remembrance of Grace receiued from a swéete God The Priests did bring wood to that fire vppon the Altar and still nourish it that it might euer burne so will the zealous Preacher to thy inward Soule giue a holy heate continually kéepe in that blessed fire of loue of zeale of thankfulnesse and so foorth to Almightie God if thou diligently frequent his company and heare his words For the Lord hath appointed him to this end to kéep this fire within his people and his ordinance shall not be in vaine vnlesse the fault be yours What a heate will the fire giue to the coldest water if it be set to it But remooue the same water from the fire againe and it returneth to his former coldnesse So so is it in the matter we speake of and forget it not The preserued fruite that is bailed in sugar looseth his owne tartnesse and taketh a swéeter taste from the sugar that all men may know where it hath béen And euen so assuredly wil a minde much meditating on Gods benefits and to the end it may the better doo it much frequenting the reading and hearing of the Word tast most swéetly both with God and Man Wherefore follow this aduise of Scripture and Fathers and learne by this reseruing of Manna for a remembrance what an acceptable thing to God and what a fit dutie for his seruant this carefull remembrance of his works is 11. Now as by this Figure of the kept Manna men were taught to remember all Gods mercies in generall So in particular it did lay before the Israelites the promised séede Christ Iesus of when it was a very notable Type and therefore may likewise teach vs as to remember all Gods mercies so by name this great mercie aboue all the gift of his deare and blessed Sonne our Sauiour for vs. The type is resembled by learned men in
when the Sea was deuided honoured him greatly You can neuer giue any people so many causes to sticke vnto you as he did giue this people to cleaue vnto him and yet they failed Write it therefore in your hands and in your heart for euer and in well doing depend vpon God you shall finde him neuer to faile you Marke also your Marginall Note héere in your Bible 5. What answereth the Lord to this inward crie of his gréeued and troubled seruant Moses Sée I pray you in the two verses following the 5. and the 6. He biddeth him take his rod and strike a hard stonie rocke and it should yeeld the people water to drinke and for their cattle also at full A mightie powerfull worke of God and full of good instructions for all those that wil obserue them As first that against such a rebellious people so froward so stubborne and so forgetfull of his former fauours yet he thundreth not out wrath and iudgements as they deserued but mildly and mercifully still dealeth with them adding mercie to mercie fauour to fauour and goodnes to goodnes for all their euill So teaching all Gouernours patience and long suffering not to followe with rigour extremitie all wrongs not setting power against folly and yéelding measure for measure in full recompence of ill deserts but according to the Course of God here doing good for euill euen to men of bittēr tongues and naughtie hearts against vs to men forgetfull of the good wee haue done them and euery way deseruing euill of vs. I know I know this is soone said but not so soone done For flesh and blood cannot away with this course There is a law in our members that rebelleth against this Counsaile But what then héere is my God before mee the best patterne that can be followed who hath power to punish and yet spareth who hath power to hurt and yet helpeth who hath power to kill with the breath of his mouth ten thousand worlds and yet saueth all and slayeth not the meanest man of all this company that murmured against him And his power in me can worke that which otherwise my corruption will not abide to yéeld vnto That spirit therefore so powerfull I will pray for to make me able to followe this example of my Almightie Father and I wil set this Precedēt before mine eyes to direct me and teach me as any way I shal be able to learne His blessed seruant the Apostle S. Paule treadeth in the same steps when hee saith Deerely beloued auenge not your selues but giue place to wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay Recompence to no man euill for euill but ouercome euill with goodnes c. Secondly it yéeldeth a most strong comfort vnto vs in all our wants For can we euer thinke that this GOD which regardeth the néed of such Rebels and giueth them helpe euen miraculously will despise our wants and suffer vs in them to perish without reliefe Search I say your owne Soule tell me if you can harbour such a thought against so swéete a God If you cannot but abhorre to doo it then sée how you are assured by this Place of his blessed prouidence for you and yours yea euen for your very Cattle if they want but water And clap both your hands vpon it binde it to your heart and let it neuer depart from you whilest life endureth in this world of wants What moued him to this mercie you sée not their merits but his owne promise onely and goodnes Reason then euer with your weake heart true to them and not true to me O fie fie auoide vile thought my God is euer true in all his promises and to all his Children neuer failing anie that relieth vpon him I will tarie therefore the Lords leasure and submit my selfe to his good will for hee that helped such Repiners as these will in his good time looke vppon my want The eyes of my poore Children shall waite vpon him for bread and drinke and hee shall fill them with his blessing when and howe hee thinketh fit Thirdly it is a profitable obseruation héere to sée how no euill in man can driue GOD from his promise and yet Sathan will suggest still O thou art not worthie of mercie thou art sinfull and a great great sinner thou must bee punished in Gods iustice hee cannot spare thée therefore trouble him not hope not in him for there is no mercie for such a one c. Why vile Sathan is my comfort reposed in mine owne worth or doo I rest vpon mine owne merit I tell thée I confesse all thou sayest of mine owne vnworthinesse and therefore haue no hope that way but I looke at his promise and I consider his truth and I sée heere and euery where that no euill in man can make him euill by breaking his promise therefore I may not despaire I haue his promise that hee will forgiue a gréeued sinner at all times for all sinnes were they as red as blood and that hee will neuer cast any away that commeth vnto him I beléeue him and I will bee comforted in his neuer fayling truth auaunt thou vile Tempter from mee Though the Lord should kill mee yet will I put my trust in him In which holy dispute with your selfe remember I pray you the olde Fathers howe they haue gone before you in this point Tota spes mea est in morte Domini mei mors eius meritum meum Refugium meum salus mea vita mea resurrectio mea meritum meum miseratio Domini Non sum inops meriti quamdiu ille non est inops miserationis Et si misericordiae Domini multae multus ego sum in meritis Quanto ille potentior ad saluandum tanto sum ego securior Peccaui peccatum grande multorum sum conscius mihi delictorum non tamen despero quia vbi abundauit delictum ibi superabundauit gratia c. All my hope is on the death of my Lord his death is my merit My refuge my health my life my resurrection My merit is the Lords mercie And I am not voyde of merit so long as hee is not voyde of mercie If his mercies bee many my merits bee also many And the stronger hee is to saue the more secure and safe am I. My sinne is great that I haue committed yea I am guiltie of many sinnes yet despaire I not for where sinne aboundeth Grace hath super-abounded Hee that despaireth of the forgiuenes of his sinnes denieth GOD to bee mercifull yea hee denieth as much as lyeth in him that GOD hath loue truth and power in which three all my comfort consisteth to wit in the loue of his adoption in the truth of his promise and in his power to performe Let my foolish Cogitation then mutter what it listeth within mee saying who art thou or by what merit or worthinesse doest thou hope to obtaine such greate glorie I
Egypt Then hee tooke Zipporah Moses wife c and went vnto him Thereby noting that the hearing of Gods great and wonderfull workes done for his people mooued his heart to come and ioyne himselfe to them so entereth God to the heart by the eare vsuallie And therefore the vse of the eare to heare of God and his workes out of his word euer cried for in the Scriptures and the stopping of the same euer condemned as to GOD rebellions and to the soule most hurtfull and pernitious O that it might sinke and settle in all men for their amendment and encrease of care and conscience to heare 2. What is Iethro A Gentile Where dwelt hee In Midian a good way of Gentiles then heare and Iewes will not they that dwell farre of come and they that are néere will not He that but heareth is much mooued they that sée with their eyes and féele with their hands Gods works and mercies murmure repine sinfully Doo not things fall out thus in our dayes and finde wee not by erperience to the griefe of all good mindes that plentie is no daintie would GOD wee did not But let vs in time remember what is spoken for our admonition if wee haue grace Manie shall come from the East and West and shall sitte downe with Abraham Isaack and Iacob in the Kingdome of Heauen And the Children of the Kingdome shall be cast out into vtter darknes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Woe be to thee Chorazin woe be to thee Bethsaida for if the great workes which were done in you had beene done in Tyrus and Sidon they had repented long agone in sackcloath and ashes The Queene of the South shall rise in iudgement with this generation and shall condemne it for she came from the vttermost parts of the earth to heare the wisedome of Salomon and beholde a greater than Salomon is heere Then Christ in his person now Christ in his word the same Christ God and man euer aboue Salomon who was his creature 3. Iethro brought with him Moses wife whom he had sent away and her two sonnes ver 3. The time when hee sent her away I doo not remember to be expressed in the Scripture But of like it was when shee shewed her selfe so crosse and weyward about the circumcision of her sonne to the hazard of Moses owne life whom the Lord would haue killed for neglect of the Sacrament Happily he thought shee would be crosse and headie in other things as well as in that and therefore for feare lest shee should hinder him in his vocation now imposed by God he sent her for a time back with his Children to Iethro her father Whereof we may make me thinks these two vses first that it is a gréeuous offence for either wiues or others to be an hinderance to men in their duties enioyned them by God for this is euen to striue against God and to set our will against his will to the great perill both of the men so called and of the parties that so hinder them if they persist Secondly that it is the dutie of all so called to remoue from them in a lawfull sort those hinderers preferring the Lords worke before their owne affection and remembring zealouslie their Maisters wordes Hee that loueth Father or Mother more than mee is not worthie of mee And hee that loueth Sonne or Daughter more than me is not worthie of me But whosoeuer shall forsake houses or Bretheren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my names sake he shall receaue an hundreth fold more and shall inherite eternall life This forsaking for a time of Moses was a holie resistance of his owne affections and a zealous care of his imposed office 4. And Iethro saide to Moses that is hee sent messengers to say I thy Father in lawe Iethro am come to thee and thy Wife and thy two Sonnes with her A singular modestie in Iethro and reuerence to his Sonne in lawe Moses his place when albeit hee had with him those guests that hee knew in nature must néedes be welcome besides his owne due who was come so farre in loue and kindnes yet hee would not come to him without this reuerent sending before to acquaint him Such reuerence to mens places in our daies is much wanting in those that chiefely should performe it and familiaritie breedeth contempt But behold Iethro héere and know that God hath Chronicled this for his praise and our profit Reuerence to Magistrates reuerence to Ministers reuerence to all authoritie and superioritie certainly it pleaseth God and commendeth vs. The contrarie is immodestie yea impietie and as a great contempt of the Author of that authoritie as of the partie contemned vsuallie punished of God either with want of euer hauing authoritie or with such contempt if they haue authoritie as erst they measured vnto others 5. Howe requiteth Moses this kinde respect The Text saith Hee went out to meete his Father in lawe and did obeysance and kissed him and each asked other of his welfare and they came into the Tent. No authoritie and greatnes maketh him proude or vnmindfull of an olde friend who had shewed him kindnes when he was in a lower estate but with a singular humilitie he receaueth reuerence in his place and with like respect againe boweth himselfe and reuerenceth Iethro Such mutuall loue and reciprocall offices of complement and order shall you euer sée in wise men what difference soeuer is in their places And there is no greater pride than where least worth is Pride maketh rude and rudenes getteth little loue wee all knowe Such an Example as this is in steade of an hundred to a wise heart and yet you may ioyne Dauids protestation to it be much profited Lord I am not high minded I haue no proud lookes c. 6. Then Moses told his Father in law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians c. Being met together after ordinarie salutations and kinde enquiring one of anothers health they fall to religious and godlie talke Moses taking pleasure to speake Iethro to heare of such gracious fauours as the Lord had shewed to his people and of such powerfull iudgements as he had laide vpon their enemies Which may serue for a good motiue in our daies to cut off idle if not very prophane conference when wee méete and to leade vs this good way remembring euer that of idle words wee must giue an accompt Woe be to the world because of offences for it must needes be that offences must come but woe bee to that man by whom the offence commeth c. If any man among you seeme religious refraineth not his tongue but deceaueth his owne heart this mans religion is in vaine The hartie ioy also that was in Iethro when hee heard these thinges notablie telleth vs the right affection of a Childe of GOD
when GOD is mercifull to his Church or to any member therefore hee enuieth not hee grudgeth not much lesse speaketh ill but with a very louing ioy hee is glad and blesseth the Name of the Lord for it A thing I feare me much wanting now a-daies not onely in Country Christians and men as wee say of the Laitie endued with lesse knowledge but euen in such as be Great men in the Church and of the Clergie The olde Saying was Laici infesti Clericis But in our daies I feare a Clergie mans chiefe enemies are they of his owne coate Such is the rancour and poysoned enuie of these times God in mercie alter it and make our hearts like Iethro his heart heere Gratitude againe to God for his mercies is heere taught by Iethro which is euer a dutie due from man and which being performed moueth him to giue more For as Ambrose saith Gratiarum actio est ad plus dandum inuitatio Thanksgiuing is a mouing of the Lord to bestowe more As ingratitude out of doubt worketh the taking away of thinges giuen It is written of one Timotheus the sonne of Conon a verie good Father a Citizen of Athens that after hee had proudly said in a great assemblie Haec Ego feci non Fortuna This I haue done and not Fortune hee neuer after prospered in any thing but daily lost that glorie which before he had gotten Much more faultie are they that at least in heart though by mouth they dare not openly say so thinke that this or that they haue gotten or done and not God You may thinke of that in Daniel 4. 27. and euer pray against such pride 7. Then Iethro Moses father in lawe tooke burnt offerings and sacrifices to offer vnto God And Aaron and all the Elders of Israel came to eate bread with Moses father in lawe before God Hauing béene thankfull in wordes now he addeth deedes that both wordes and déedes may goe together in honouring God For A dead faith saith S. Iames is that where workes want And as with the heart we beleeue vnto righteousnes so with the mouth we confesse vnto saluation saith S. Paul If wee learne of Iethro euer to ioyne these together as the Lord shall enable vs wée shall rightlie and fully giue assurance both to our selues and others of our true faith This shewed againe that Iethro worshipped the true God otherwise in likelihoode Moses would not haue married his daughter And if Iethro here and Melchisedek and Naaman and Cornelius with others mentioned elsewhere in the Scriptures did so hauing for any thing wée know small preaching or meanes of true knowledge besides the working Spirit of a gratious GOD that mercifully pulled them out of the fire Let vs comfortably hope of our Forefathers liuing in the time of ignorance that they found mercie with God And yet beware that wée reason not from thence to any contempt or neglect of that blessed light which God vouchsafeth now aboue those times But euer remēber that singular Spéech of Saint Cyprian Ignosci potuit simpliciter errantibus post inspirationem vero et reuelationem factam qui in eo quo errauerat perseuerat sine venia ignorantiae peccat praesumptione enim et obstinatione superatur Mercy might be shewed to them that erred of simplicitie but after light graunted who shall so continue in his error he sinneth without hope of pardon beeing ouercome with presumption and obstinacie The kinde comming of the Elders with Aaron to eate and bée merrie with Moses Father in law sheweth their loue to Moses and was a great comfort Alike custome we haue to giue a man his welcome as we call it with wine or meate as wée thinke good which you sée is commendable béeing vsed rightly For most good and ioyful it euer was when men togeather agrée in loue and vnitie Many sharp showers Moses was vnder with these Israelites yet here is loue and kindnesse which telleth vs GOD will not euer grieue his seruants Magistrates or Ministers or others faithfull but hath his times to comfort them also and mingle sweete with their sowre that they may be able to beare and to go along with their vocation A swéete goodnesse in him so to consider our weakenesse so to temper things to our strength and let it worke a loue in vs of so deare a Father and to a godly carriage in all stormes For cloudes will blow ouer and after a foule day commeth a fayre Sorrow at night ioye ere day saith the experienced Prophet Dauid and the Lord in mercy giue vs the vse of all his swéete comforts The 2. part 1. NOw on the morrow when Moses sate to iudge the people the people stood about Moses from Morning to Euen c. Amongest the infinite mercies of God vouchsafed to mankind this is one great one that he hath appointed Gouernment Gouernours Iudgment Iudges Iustice and Lawes to defend the good and represse the euill and vnruly In the 11. Chapter of the Prophet Zacharie he calleth it a Staffe and a Staffe of beautie for the excellencie of it I tooke vnto me saith the Lord two Staues the one I called Beautie the other I called Bands and I fed the sheepe The first staffe was the Gouernment Ecclesiasticall and ciuill which hee esiablished amongst them called I say Beautie for the profit comfort good that commeth euer by Gouernment His second Staffe was peace vnitie and concord most mercifully also vouchsafed vnto them which béeing indéede a notable holdfast of happinesse in any state he calleth it by the name of Bands And both these excellent mercies he calleth by the name of Staues because they haue fit resemblances with those Shepeheard Staues that are vsed in féeding and tending the flockes of men For to speake of Gouernmēt wherto the Text leadeth me the Shepeheards Staffe is said to be a Staffe of directiō a staffe of correction a Staffe of defence a staffe of support or ease Euen so is good iust Gouernment if you marke it For it directeth a man willing to liue in order what he shal doo what hée shall not doo as the Staffe guideth the sheepe in the right way kéepeth him from the wrong It correcteth him that will not be ruled It defendeth the oppressed and wronged it is a sure stay to leane and rest vpon when we are toyled with heard dealings of men as the staffe is for the shepeheard to support him when hée is wearie Uery fitlie therefore resembled to a staffe and for the excellencie tearmed not beautifull in the concrete but verie beautie it selfe in the abstract Which Beautie that it may the more appeare vnto you thinke with your selfe of these points or heads First what Names are giuen to Gouernours in the holy Scriptures holy writings of wise men They are called you know Gods Nursing-fathers Nursing-mothers the Ministers of God Shepheards such like they are called
venereos punire non est effusiosanguinis sedleguÌ„ ministerium To punish murderers sacrilegious licentious persons is not shedding of bloud but the ministery of law Thus sâ—ew Moses the Egyptian Act. 7. 28. Exo. 2. 12. Three thousand Idolaters Exod. 32. 28. Thus commanded Dauid his Son Salomon touching Ioab S 〈…〉 ei 1. King 2. 5. c. Moses was meeke Dauid pittifull yet thus they do Et vterque manus quas parceÌ„do inqumasset sic soeuieÌ„do sanctificauit dum vltioneÌ„ sibi a Deo coÌ„missaÌ„ executus est And either of theÌ„ sanctifie their hands by this seueritie in executing iustice beloÌ„ging to theÌ„ which otherwise they should haue defiled by vnlawful lenitie sparing Read by your selfe the places of Scripture in the margin Only let cruelty in iustice be euer far from a godly Gouernour for the Kings throne is established by mercy and al mens seats vnder him Yet againe on the other side Superstitiosa affectatio clementiâ— â—t faciat crudelissimam humanitatem cum pernicie multorum Let not a superstitious affectation of clemencie make a more cruell gentlenesse with the perill and hurt of many For vnder the gouernment of the Emperour Nerua it was rightly saide It is ill dwelling vnder a king or Magistrate where nothing is lawfull but it is far worse dwelling vnder one where all things are lawfull For the duty of Subiects towards their Gouernoures it is first to thinke most reuerently of their places as an authoritie appointed of God for our good and not as some men doo outwardly to obey them and inwardly to thinke them but necessarie euils For S. Peters words teach more when he saith Honour the King and Salomon when he biddeth Feare God and the King For in the word Honour Peter includeth sinceram candidam existimationem A sincere and vnseigned reuerence of them And Salomon ioyning the King with God sheweth a holy and reuerent regard of him to be due to him from men subiect to him That also in Paul hath great efficacie in it Not for feare but for conscience sake As if he should say euen because what dutie is done or left vndone to them is done or left vndone to God himselfe from whom their authoritie and power is Whatsoeuer therefore the person is the calling is of God and must be so thought of Againe after this inward reuerent conceipt must follow outward obedience to their Lawes in paying tribute and vndergoing what to vs by them is appointed either for publique defeÌ„se or otherwise For let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers saith the Apostle because he that resisteth resisteth to his owne damnation And read Tit. 3. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13. The Magistrate may sometimes be weake but God wil euer be strong to punish any coÌ„tempt of his ordinance In no case therefore may we intrude our selues into their offices and meddle with publique matters without a calling For this is not to obey them but to rule with them What is amisse to them must be signified and their helpe expected vnlesse they appoint vs and then are wée not priuate persons any more but publique for such businesse And as Counsellers are saide to be eyes and eares to the King so are other subiects his hands when he pleaseth to commaund them so And be they neuer so euill yet their place is of God by whom only kings doo rule either to our good in his mercie or to our punishment in his iustice Permittuntur aliquando tyrannorum imperia a deo in vindictam malefactorum praemium vero bonorum Tyrants are suffered sometimes to rule for the punishment of the euill and the reward of the good saith S. Ambrose But how will you think for the reward of the good The same Ambrose notably saith for answere Nunquam nobis amplius contulerunt Gentiles quam cum verberari Christianos atque proscribi ac necari iuberent Praemium enim fecit religio quod perfidia putabat esse suppliciuÌ„ c Neuer did the Gentiles more for the Church than when they coÌ„manded the Christians to be beaten proscribed and killed For then did Religion make that a reward an honour and a crowne which infidelitie reputed a punishment S. Austin There is no power but of God and therefore saith he our Sauiour told Pilate he could haue no power at all ouer him except it were giuen him froÌ„ the Father Sed Deus regnare facit hominem hypocritam propter peccata populi Tollenda est ergo culpa vt cesset tyrannorum plaga But God doth suffer the hypocrite to rule for the sin of the people And therfore that sin must be takeÌ„ away that the plague of hauing a tyrant ruler may cease What manner of King Nabuchadnezar King of Babel was which destroyed Hierusalem wée know yet God said Behold I will giue the land of Egypt vnto Nabuchadnezar and he shall take her multitude and spoile her spoile and take her prey and it shall be the wages of his army c Because he wrought for mee saith the Lord. Marke those last wordes and sée how euill Rulers are appointed by God for the punishment of such as will not serue him And therefore If a King shall doo as is saide by Samuel Chap. 8. ver 11. c. He is Gods instrument thus to chasten vs though those things doo not shew what hee ought to doo yet they shew what Subiects ought to suffer without disloyaltie if they be done Reade Iere. 29. 7. God forbid saith Dauid that I should lay mine hand on the Lords Anoynted and yet Saul sought his life Who shall lay his hands on the Lords Anoynted and bee guiltlesse c. The wife is not fréed from her husband when he is ill nor the child from the Father no more are Subiects from their Prince But in such cases God the only helper is to be thought of and prayed vnto who can giue a Moses for a Pharaoh Othniel for Chushan who can chastice the pride of Tyrus by the Egyptians then the Egyptians by the Asyrians the Asyrians again by the Chaldeans by the Medes and Persians c. yet carying a gracious eare and eye to prayer procéeding from a penitent heart c. 2. The great paines of Moses in sitting to iudge the controuersies of the people euen froÌ„ Morning vnto Euen mentioned in the 14. verse what a commendation is it of him what an Example vnto all those whom God in mercie hath raised vp to any like gouernment ouer their brethren Surely diligence in the charge committed to vs is euer sweete vnto God good for our selues He that is diligent in his work saith the wisedom of God by Salomon shall stand before Princes Come thou good and faithfull seruant will God say to his Magistrate as well as vnto the Minister enter into thy Lords ioy The wicked in their ill doing how diligent are they and shall
it not moue such as be the Lords to carefulnes in well doing Iudas watcheth when the Apostles sléepe why watcheth he but for a mischiefe The High Priests all that rable assemble together betimes euen before day will the wicked be working euill While men sleepe the enemie soweth Tares among the good seed that was sowen If the driuer of horses either strike or speake but to one all the rest set themselues to it amend their paces Let God and Nature the Word and Experience worke with wise persons vnto good And for Iustice what a blessing to the people and what a praise to the carefull executer of it who knoweth not Heathen Aristotle could say that no starre is so beautifull in the skie as Iustice is on earth Mens wisedom may make them reuerenced their power may make thē feared but Iustice Iustice is that which winneth mens harts maketh them beloued and the more faithfull and painfull they are in doing thereof the more honoured aliue and dead Looke vpon Moses in this place 3. And as Iustice is a blessing so are good lawes ordinances in a kingdom in the praise whereof much might be said as not a litle against idle superfluous hurtful lawes against obscure deceitful penning of them leauing holes gaps in them for all the good intended by them to run out at and neuer be séen but I leaue it to your owne meditation 4. In this excellent man Moses doth not Iethro his inferiour far finde iustly a fault very well aduise him to a better course which Moses followed with Gods approbation Let it tell vs that no man is perfect in all things but may receaue counsel euen frō a meaner person Let Moses modesty in yéelding make our spirits humble in like occasion where God dwelleth it will be so pride is a sure signe of an ill heart The head scorneth not the foot in our bodies and the very foote is carefull for the head Make vse application of it your selfe Time spent in these meditations is well spent euer and will please God profit you 5. The Properties noted by Iethro to be in Magistrates Gouernours are worthy much obseruation Prouide men saith he of courage fearing God men dealing truly hating couetousnes All great graces shining ornaments in men of authority as by a seuerall consideration of euery one may well appeare The first is Courage or an inuincible cōstancie wherewith al such as are in authority ouer others to minister iustice iudgment vnto them ought to be endued to the end that neither by loue or hatred they encline more to one or other than standeth with the right of their place and to the end that neither with flattering prayses or bitter backbitings of men giuen to tempt the good disposition of such Gouernours they be moued and drawne aside discouraged or set downe in the worke of their Calling but what is iust and right that soundly and reundly they doo ministring iustice to all without feare or fainting looking to him that must iudge them and who will assuredlie reward their well doing and iustly punish all their deprauers and hinderers In the Booke of Chronicles we reade it for no small blemish in a King and no small rod to the people vnder him that Rehoboam the sonne and successor of Salomon was but a childe meaning in heart and courage that is in déede weake and faint harted and so could not resist those vaine and wicked men which made themselues strong against him Therefore God willed Ioshua to be strong and of a most valiant courage A good Exhortation gaue Dauid to Salomon his Sonne saying Be strong and shew thy selfe a man for I goe the way of all the earth c. Such godly fortitude was in the Apostle when he saide Wee are reuiled and yet we blesse wee are persecuted and suffer it Wee are euill spoken of and we pray c. Meaning that hee gaue not ouer or fainted in his dutie for all these thinges The second is the feare of God a vertue also most requisite in Iudges for héereupon hang all vertues as might at large be shewed if it were néedefull But let that Example of Abraham suffice who thinking that the feare of God was not in Gerar vtterly despaired of any other vertue and therefore mooued his wife to say shee was his sister In this respect the feare of God is both by Dauid and Salomon called the beginning of wisedome that is the roote and fountaine of all goodnes and therefore of all Justice and true Judgement in Judges The third is a loue of truth and true dealing for who more than Iudges should be frée in themselues and abhorre in all others traude and deceipt lying and false witnes bearing by which all Iustice must néedes be ouer-throwne the wicked iustified and the haltar put about the true mans necke to the great offence of God the fearefull punishment of the Iudge that not louing truth or not so carefull for it as he ought hath suffered such iniquitie to be done The last is that Iudges be haters of Couetousnes the plague and poyson of all Iustice as might be shewed by much proofe were I willing to stand vpon so knowne a Common place It stoppeth eyes it stoppeth eares it tieth tongues and worketh wonders wofull and hatefull c. To men of this sort that is endued with these vertues aboue saide authoritie happily and to the great good of many thousands is giuen and God for his mercie sake encrease the number of them In Deutro these things will come to be spoken of againe and therefore I am here the shorter CHAP. 19. AT this Chapter beginneth the second part of this Booke of Exodus wherein you haue these points First a Preparation of the people to heare the lawes of God deliuered by God himselfe to them for the gouernment of their liues and actions and that is in this 19. Chapter Secondly the Lawes them selues in the next Chapter Thirdly other Lawes tending to the explication of these 10. principall Lawes called the 10. Commaundements together with the punishments of the transgressors Chap. 21. 22. and 23. Fourthly Moses ascending vp to the Mount first with the Elders after without them all alone and his receauing direction for the Tabernacle and the worship of God Chap. 24. vnto the 32. Fiftly the sinne of the people their punishment and Moses prayer for them to the 35. Chap. where certaine lawes are also repeated Lastly the building of the Tabernacle the gifts giuen the finishing erection and dedication to the end of the Booke The Preparation is generall and particular The generall hath first an Argument drawne from the authoritie of the spéech to wit that Moses did not commaund out of his owne bead but was called vp to the Mount to God and there was required to say to the house of Iacob and to tell the
tenne seuerall branches and heades commonly called the Decalogue or Ten Commaundements Of all which because I haue made exposition in a Booke alreadie I will spare my labour here and refer you to that Treatise The other general head of this Chap. to wit the peoples feare beginning at the 18. verse I will a little touch First then it is saide That all the people saw the thunders and lightnings and the sound of the Trumpet and the mountaine smoking whē the people saw it they fled stood a far of which words yéeld vs many good things to note First the difference of the Law and the Gospell The law as hath bene saide fearing and frighting shaking shiuering the heart of Man beateth downe his peacocks feathers and maketh him abashed and ashamed in himselfe to crie with the prodigall Sonne I am not worthy I am not worthy O Father to be called thy sonne Yea it maketh him stand a far of with the poore Publican smite his breast in true féeling of his sinne and to beséech God for mercy to a Sinner Whosoeuer is not thus humbled he neuer knew what the law ment but like the vaine Pharisie doteth vpon himselfe without cause erreth as the Apostle did before the Commandement came Contrariwise the Gospell chéereth and comforteth helpeth healeth and swéetely allureth to come in al ioyfull assurance of mercie by him who hath fulfilled the law for vs and remooued away the curse that would haue slaine vs. Read the 12. Chap. to the Hebrewes noted before and sée what I say most plaine beginning at the 18. verse Secondly it may teach vs to our great good now whilst wee haue time that if the law were so terrible when it was giuen it will be a dreadfull day when all the breaches of the same shal be iudged And if the people fled now stood a far off and were in such feare how will the Idolater the Blasphemer the Adulterer the Drunkard the Thiefe the Murderer the Rebellious and Disobedient the false witnesse the couetuous oppressour and all such iolly fellowes that now scorne and scoffe at all admonitions I say how will all these doo and what will be their case at that day Turne turne we then vnto God in time and amend your liues that Christ fréeing vs from this feareful law wée may be safe by his holy Gospell Thirdly this place sheweth their ignorant folly that say in their hearts O if I might heare God speake himselfe I should be much mooued I should belieue and bee out of all doubt c For were the people here able to indure the voice of God Doo they not say to Moses talke thou with vs and we will heare but let not God talk with vs lest we dye Little little doo they conceiue which thus say either their own weakenes or the Maiestie of God Let them therfore learne of this people here the blessing of God in giuing vs Moses to speak to vs the is in raising vp among vs men of our own shape mould matter men that we feare not but know loue are linked to in degrées of loue to speak vnto vs in his Name putting his holy spirit among them induing them with guifts fit for such a calling in vouchsafing his Word to direct both them and vs and so euery way familiarlie and yet truly and effectually labouring and working our saluation if wee bee not obstinate to contemne his meanes and care This Ministerie of Man so despised of Man so wronged and so cast downe is an other manner of mercie than wicked worldlings conceiue or féele but one day they shal know when it will bée too late to reforme their fault which now they may leaue if they haue grace Then shall they sée God and heare God but with greater terror than this people did héere They shall also sée blacknesse and darknesse they shall heare thundrings and lightnings smokes and fires and flames with trembling perplexitie then if it could be had againe Moses voice to speake vnto thē would be accepted which now is so little regarded and set by Fourthly This darknesse wherein God was noteth the Maiestie of God to be incomprehensible and not to be reached vnto by our wits We must therefore be sober and modest and humble in talking and writing of God Simonides foūd this when vndertaking to shew what God was the more he studied to doo it the more time still he craued and was further and further off First he asked three daies then six and then double againe and in the end gaue ouer and could not doo it To vs this place may be in stead of a thousand But Moses drew neere vnto the darknesse where God was GOD dwelleth in light but in regard of our weaknesse it is darknesse and happie wée if wée acknowledge our weakenesse and craue helpe where it is to be had Other things your selfe may note which I passe ouer The great charge that God giueth to beware any Images of him either of Gold or Siluer you may conferre with the 4. Chap. of Deut. with the second Cōmandement whereof I haue spoken and settle in your heart how odious to God that course is frō which yet no perswasion will draw some If God would be remembred by an Image he would haue suffered it if he would be worshipped in an Image hee would haue suffered it and he would haue letten them sée some forme which they might haue followed if he could like of an Image of wood or stone more fit for his Maiestie were gold siluer But you sée al is for bidden cursed with them are the makers of them which is a fearefull thing if it were thought of Reade Esay 45. ver 16. 2 An Altar of earth shalt thou make c. God would haue but one Altar to note one truth and one Religion He would haue it of earth or rude without labour that vhen they remooued they might throw it downe or it fall of it selfe so that posterity might take no cause of Idolatry thereby Steppes to the same Altar he forbiddeth likewise for the cause specificd in the margin of your Bible and it well teacheth that in Gods Worship all things should be done deuoutly and comely euen as the Apostle himselfe teacheth and requireth Ignorant and prophane men delight in pompe and earthly shew but Christians must indeauour to haue all thiugs done so modestly and soberly as to euery man it may appeare what spirit they are guided and gouerned by The multitude of Popish Altars might here be remembred if it were néedefull and that good decree of the second Councill of Africa Chap. 50. and the fift of Carthage Chap. 14. That such suspitious Altars as were in those daies set-up in euery corner should be plucked downe beeing built vppon dreames and superstitious conceipts And if without tumult they could not bee pulled downe then the people to be
admonished not to frequent those places lest they should be abused by superstition c. Also it might be shewed how the communion tables be called of the old Fathers both tables and Altars indifferently Tables as they are indéed and Altares as they are improperly How they were made ofboords and remooueable set in the midst of the people and not placed against a wall with diuers other things but hereafter will be a fitter place CHAP. 21. 1. THe Lawes of God are vsually deuided into moral Ceremoniall and Iudiciall Lawes In the Chapter before we haue had the Morall Lawes to wit the Tenne commandements herafter we shall haue the Ceremonial And now in these thrée Chapters following God layeth downe certaine Iudiciall Laws The Morall Law of God is the law of Nature shewing what ought to bee the manners and natures of all men and it is the ground of all Lawes whatsoeuer either Diuine or Humane The Ceremoniall being in this respect Natural because among men Nature requires order and decencie And the Iudiciall being the execution of the Morall which is Naturall For humane Lawes they are made by probable reason of Gouernours and tend either to directions to kéepe the Moral or to circumstances of execution in punishing offendors As for example Gods law saith Thou shalt not kill Mans Law forbiddeth the carrying of these and these weapons so to take away occasion and meanes of breaking the law of God Gods law commaundeth there shal be Magistrates Mans law appointeth these are those At Rome two Consuls in other Cities foure At Rome annuall in other places perpetuall c. Gods law appointeth that a Debtor not able to pay shal be punished Mans law appointeth differing waies according to circumstances of places as in some countries by perpetuall imprisonment in other places otherwise Draco his law was That he should be plucked in peeces and euery Creditor haue a part The Law of GOD requireth theft to be punished by restitution of double or foure folde Mans lawe by restitution and somewhere by death By all which examples you sée how GODS lawe is still the ground of mans lawe and the end of mans law if a good lawe is euer the kéeping of GODS law Now to come to the Text of this Chapter The first law laide downe is touching seruants and seruitude which you may referre to the Moral law Honour thy Father and Mother Degrées of men concerning ruling and obeying being contained in the law The words of the Text are these If thou buy an Hebrew seruant he shal serue sixe yeares and in the seuenth he shall goe free for nothing c. From which verse to the twelfth verse you haue the matter of seruitude and freedome laide downe and it shall be good to obserue the Will of God in it He would not haue them euer bond as amongst the Nations elswhere it was because they were deliuered out of Egypt by his mercie asâ—el as their Masters were whereupon in Leuiticus he challengeth them for his saith For they are my seruants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt they shall not be sold as bond-men are sold Thou shalt not rule ouer them cruelly but shalt feare thy God Yet would hée not haue the Maister damnified and therefore he alloweth of 7. yeares commanding their libertie and recompence saying wheÌ„ thou sendest him out free from thee thou shalt not let him go away emptie The vse whereof is comfortable to seruants and profitable to Masters To seruants it sheweth the louing care the Lord hath ouer them which may cheere them in al their doings being well assured that what they doo well this God will euer reward though man doo not Whereunto serueth the exhortation of the Apostle and promise annexed Seruants be obedient vnto them that are your masters according to the flesh in all things not with eye seruice as men pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God And whatsoeuer you do do it heartely as to the Lord and not to men knowing that of the Lord ye shall receiue the rewarde of the inheritance for ye serue the Lord Christ And yâ— very like Saying againe he hath to the Ephesians So rewarded he the faithfull seruice of Iacob though his maister were hard so Ioseph so many mo To Masters it teacheth moderation and mercie for how dare they wrong those whom God calleth his hath such a tender care of The Apostle in the places named so saith also Yee Masters do vnto your seruants that which is iust and equall knowing that ye also haue a Maister in HeaueÌ„ Where this is not done God is angrie as you may sée by that feareful spéech in Ieremie Because ye haue not obeied me in proclaiming a libertie to your seruaÌ„ts c therfore behold I proclaime a libertie to you saith the Lord to the sword to the Pestilence and to the famine and I will make a terror to all the Kingdomes of the earth Reade the place from the 9. Verse to the end of the Chapter Iob therefore a good and iust man had a great care of this and protesteth he did not contemne the iudgement of his seruant and of his maide when they did contende with him because he that made him in the Wombe he also made them if he should wrong them what could hee answere to God for it A most worthy example for all Masters Thus may all other gouernours and Superiours make vse of this law and learne to take no pride in their authoritie not to affect greatnesse not to swell and looke bigge ouer their inferiours For certainly the Lord will punish it al wise men will laugh at it Rule and gouernment is of God but pride and vanitie is of the Deuil Titles to men God will haue giuen but to desire Titles he neuer liked much lesse Titles vpon Titles and neuer inough It soundeth in Bookes to the Persians shame that the gouernours there will be free from all lawes and what they list that they may But theirinferiours must be bound with all cruel bonds euen to kil themselues if they command to indure al burdens imposed vpoÌ„ them If they be cruelly beaten to giue thanks that the Gouernours haue them in remembrance The Pharisies were vaine men to affect the vppermost places and to be called Rabbi But this proude minde is like the water to the Dropsie-man that maketh more thirstie the more it is drunke No end of superioritie with some men They that are noble will be Princes Princes will be Kings Kings will be Emperours and Emperours must be Gods That vaine woman Cleopatra shee must be called Queene of Queenes Sapor the Persian wrote to Constantius and called himselfe King of Kings brother to the starres the Sunne and the Moone c. These that thus hunger after glory and Maiestie how can they vse authoritie moderately and humbly Such pride commeth out of
hath made a gracious league and couenant as you read in Esay The mountaines shall remooue and the hilles shall fall downe but my mercie shall not depart from thee neither shall the couenant of my peace fall away saith the Lord that hath compassion on thee c. This is my couenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is vpon thee and my words which I haue put in the mouth of thy seede from hence forth for euer A comfortable meditation in all the stormes and stirres of the Church Militant here on earth to looke and runne vnto this Couenāt which shal neuer faile because God is true and to consider that whatsoeuer men be or do or threaten to do the Church dependeth not vpon men nor their fauours or leagues or promises but vpon Gods couenant with it euen the Almightie maker of all the worlds Masse who bloweth vpon all earthly Potentates and they perish who saueth not with bow and speare but with his word and will no confederacies of men being able to indure his wrath He he is our strength and stonie rocke he is our defence our Sauiour our God and our might in whom we will euer trust our buckler the horne also of our saluation and our refuge By his commandement it is said to the members of his Church I baptize thee in the Name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost As much as if he should will his Minister to say from him to me to you to euerie one particularly 〈◊〉 the Almightie God maker and preseruer of all things together with my coeternall Sonne crucified for thee and raysed vp againe and with the Holy Ghost powred vpon the Apostles make with thee a Couenant of euerlasting peace which by no power of the Deuill or his members shall euer be made frustrate And to this Couenant I flye in all my feares séeking no vnlawfull meanes but remembring comfortably the words spoken Quoniam in me sperauit liber abo eum protegam eum quia cognouitnomen meum c. Because he hath hoped in mee I will deliuer him I will saue him because he hath knowen my Name I am with him in trouble to wit as his confederate I will deliuer him and exalt him to honour I will fill him with length of life shew him my saluation Then for the kéeping of the law as the two Tables of Moses were kept in the Arke so is the Church the kéeper of the Scriptures not onely by intertaining and holding the holy doctrine in our senerall hearts as in an Arke but euen also by preseruing the Bookes the ministerie of that trueh to the end of the world in prosperitie and aduersitie So whether we apply it as a figure of Christ or of the Church you sée the consideration of this Arke may yéeld vs many good meditations The Mercie Seate THe Arke as you may sée had a couer appointed to be made for it which was the Mercie Seate or the Propitiatorie The wordes of your Bible are thus Also thou shalt make a Mercie seate of pure gold two cubits and a halfe long and a cubit and a halfe broad And thou shalt make two Cherubims of gold c. How notable a figure againe this was of Christ I pray you sée for first it was the couer of the Ark where the law of Moses lay and who hideth and couereth vs from the wrath of God and from the accusation of the lawe but Iesus Christ He is like a coole shadow to flie vnto in the scorching heat of Gods deserued displeasure which is a consuming fire And were it not for him vp would the law rise against vs with his heauie curse and crie for condemnation against vs for our manifolde breaches and contempts which no flesh is able to abide Wherupō the Psalmist saith O Lord O Lord if thou wilt marke what is done amisse who who is able to indure it But do not thou O Lord enter into iudgement with thy seruant to wit without this mercie seat couer or propitiatorie for without Christ thy Sonne represented and shadowed héereby shall no flesh be iustified in thy sight Our first Parents hauing sinned couered themselues with Figge leaues and did they help Euen so are all couers beside this against God and sinne trie them and trust them who will One Dionysius a sowre and seuere defender of that Stoicall vnfeelingnesse of passions being tormented in his reines cried out That all things were false which he had till then held of paine griefe as that it might so easily be borne indured whatsoeuer it was for now he felt the contrarie that pain pincheth wil be felt notwithstanding all plaisters of philosophie humane reasons Euen so shall the sense of Gods diuine iudgement conuince all hypocrites when he shall please to touch them with it make them confesse that will-worship outward works whatsoeuer are as figge leaues to hide them from God their sinnes whatsoeuer opinion they haue formerly held of the force and merit of them and that Christ onely is the couer of the Arke when the accusing law lyeth to whom whosoeuer flie and in whom whosoeuer trust being iustified by faith they haue peace with God through him Thinke you then of it for euer and lay hold on him and on him onely by your vnfeigned faith in him if you meane to be sure and safe without perill and hazard He is our mouth whereby we speake vnto God he is our eye whereby we sée God and he is our hand whereby we offer to God Quo nisi intercedente nec nobis nec omnibus Sanctis cum Deo quicquam est Without whose intercession neither we nor any of the Saints haue any thing to do with God Quem inuenirem qui me tibi reconciliaret an eundum mihi ad Angelos At qua prece quibus Sacramentis verus Mediator Christus Whō should I find to recōcile mee to thee saith S. Angustine Must I go vnto Angels But with what praier with what Sacraments The true Mediator is Christ Quisquis pro peccato compunctus esurit sit it iustitiam credat in te qui iustificas impium per solam fidem iustificatus pacem habebit apud Deum Whosoeuer feeleth compunction for sinne and hungreth and thirsteth after righteousnes let him beleeue in thee that doest iustifie the wicked and by faith only he shall haue peace with God saith S. Bernard Non in fletibus actibus nostris sed in Aduocati nostri allegatione confidimus We doe not trust in our weeping or working but in the allegation or pleading of our Aduocate for vs saith S. Gregorie Thus spake the olde Fathers all we must marke it Popes pardons were pro fisco non pro Christo for their own gaine not for the good of Christes people as One of their owne side said well of them c. 2 Secondly it was
of gold that so it might shadow and shew that all though Christ should suffer die for sin yet he should himselfe haue no sinne but be pure as gold that is holy iust vnspotted the immaculate Lambe of God in whom there is no blemish of impuritie In all things saith the Apostle he was tempted in like sort yet without sinne 3 There were two Cherubims set vpon this Mercie seat in manner as you sée expressed in the picture of your Bible which Cherubims whatsoeuer Iosephus saith were in the most receiued opinion like Angels happely to shadow out the subiection of all Angels to Christ and their readie seruice at his commaundement for the Church and any particular member thereof For vnto which of the Angels saith the Apostle did God say at any time Thou art my Sonne this day begat I thee No it is said Let all the Angels of God woship him And of the Angels he saith He maketh the Spirits his messengers and his ministers a flame of fire Also to shew as they are obedient and seruiceable at all appointments so should we be remembring the incomprehensible goodnes of our God who among other his infinite fauours whereby he bindeth vs to his seruice hath made euen this one That these holy Angels also are our seruants by his appointment A mightie motiue to a good and thankfull minde to labour to become obedient and dutiful to such a Father to such a Creator to such a God Lastly to figure out that when we draw néere to the Propitiatorie a figure of Christ and are of God in his great mercie adopted in Christ for his sonnes we are called and as it were ioyned to the companie and societie of the Cherubims and holy Angels of God A comfort also for vs that come vnto him 4 The Cherubims stretch their wings on high couering the Mercie Seate with their winges so representing the maiestie of Christ who though he should humble himselfe to a verie low estate for mans good yet indéede was of that glorie and brightnesse in his Godhead as no flesh could be able to behold but must hide their eyes and acknowledge their infirmitie if but a small glimse thereof should be shewed them Figuring also the most comfortable protection of the Lord Iesus our Sauiour who spreadeth as it were his wings ouer his Church and euerie member of it to repulse any harme that might happen other than he will graciously turne to his glorie the Church or parties good which then indéed is no harme but a benefit rather although bitter to the flesh disgracefull in the world Thus spread he his winges ouer Iacob and saued him from Laban ouer Ioseph saued him from his brethren ouer Eliah saued him from Iesabell ouer Elisha 2. King 6 and thus euer as the Hen to her chickens so is the Lord our gracious God to all that truly feare him A maruellous swéet Meditation if you follow it 5 The faces of these Cherubims were one towards another and both of them toward the Mercie Seat so representing the consent of the Old and New Testament in both which there is but one truth and one doctrine the Olde hauing his face towards the New and the New also looking at the Olde For what is the Olde Testament but the newe obscure and what the new Testament but the Olde made plaine And both Olde and New looke vpon Christ the promised seed of the woman that should bruise the Serpents head They being saued in the olde Testament by beleeuing he should come and we being saued in the New by beléeuing he is come 6 And there saith God I will declare my selfe vnto thee and from aboue the Mercie Seat betweene the two Cherubims which are vpon the Arke of the Testimonie I will tell thee all things which I will giue thee in commaundement vnto the children of Israel Still note the excellencie of this figure of the Mercie Seat For as God before had spoken out of the bush Exod. 3. 4. vers and out of the cloud Numb 12. 5. vers so hereafter saith he I will speake to you from betwixt these Cherubims and so he did For in the Booke of Numbers you reade thus When Moses went into the Tabernacle of the congregation to speake with God he heard the voyce of one speaking vnto him from the Mercie Seat that was vpon the Arke of the Testimonie betweene the two Cherubims and he spake to him Whereupon the Prophet Esay saith God dwelleth betweene the Cherubims And Dauid in his Psalme also The Lord is King be the people neuer so impatient he sitteth between the Cherubims be the earth neuer so vnquiet And againe Heare O thou Shepeheard of Israel thou that leadest Ioseph like sheepe shew thy selfe also that sittest vpon the Cherubims And fitly did this resemble Christ by whom God afterward would speak vnto his Church whatsoeuer he would commaund As the Apostle writeth to the Hebrewes when he saith At sundrie times and in diuers manners God spake in the olde time to our Fathers by the Prophets but in these last daies he hath spoken to vs by his Sonne which still hee continueth and will vnto the end of the world though not by liuing voice and personall presence in earth as he did for a time How then Still looke vpon the figure Two Cherubims were vpon the Mercie seat representing as you haue heard the Two Testaments and from betweene those two Cherubims God spake so doth Christ still by the Two Testaments the olde and the new the lawe and the Gospell the Prophets and Apostles and so will he still speake to the end Other waies wee must not now expect Reuelations and dreames visions and miracles are ceased and if they will not heare Moses and the Prophets neither wil they beleeue if one should rise and come from the dead vnto them In Moses and the Prophets is the new Testament conteyned though obscurely as you haue heard and therefore still to these Cherubims resort if you meane to heare your God speake Huge is the heape therfore of their sinne that barre Gods people from this way and will make themselues to be Cherubims onely to be heard and beléeued shamefully affirming That the people are not to search the Scriptures but to receiue all things from their Teachers vpon their bare credit not reasoning not disputing not asking any Questions more than the horse asketh his maister why he turneth him this way or that but simply obeying Thus neuer dealt God with people since he gaue them his Scriptures you well know but as the other parts of their spirituall armour Helmet Breastplate and so forth so he bad them take their weapon without which what should armour do euen their sword which saith he is the word of God But truth séekes no darkenesse and lies loue no light Be you armed being warned and go you to the Cherubims where you
104. People shoulde bee touched with the griefe of their Minister 85. Pentecost 191. Persons which might be vowed to the service of God 215. Posteritie provided for 171. Pleasures are to be mortified 32. and forsaken for God 66. Policie may not destroy pietie 141 170 185. Poligamie vnlawfull 149 150. Poore provided for in sacrifices 19. their little is accepted 20 37 45 106 119. God hath care of them 162. and so should we have 163 164 207. Povertie comforted 37 45. 100. Popish frankincense 24. fasts 34. rapers 53 194. performance of their devotions by another 67. elevation 67. priest-hoode 70 180. greasing 71. devises without the word 81. forbidding of marriage and meates 92. shrift 108. wronging of the soules of men 124. transubstantiation 132. kinred 134 143. cloystering 139. forced chastitie 141 181 185. forbidding ministers marriage 161. shaving 174. stewes 174 Priestes and Iesuites of an vnquiet humour 183. representation of the Trinitie 194. Iubile and pardons 204 205. vowes 218 219. Prayers signified by incense 24. they pierce onely by the blood of Christ 39. a reason why they are not alwayes heard 213. Preaching of Christ through the world prefigured 13 58 67 192. it is a sacrifice 21. not to be turned to popular applause 27. Prophetes exhortations vppon what grounds 209. In promised blessings wee must not appoynt God a time 210. Providence 59 Prosperitie may not puffe vs 84. Pride scorneth excuses 89. it bindeth men 184. Purification 106 c. Punishments are necessary to preserve common-wealths 176 177. Punishments of wilfull contemners of Gods will 211. Puritie of Christ prefigured 10 16 20 23 180. all puritie to be sought in him only 105 185. Puritie of his doctrine and life 25. and of his nature 104. Purifying of women not to bee forced now in maner as it was vsed amongest the Iewes 103. why it was doubled in a woman childe to that it was in a man child 105. Q. QVestion whether divorce may bee made for the leprosie 114. Question whether errour or mistaking make a marriage voyde or no 141. Secondly whether a vow hinder marriage 143. Thirdly whether spirituall kinred hinder marriage 143. Fourthly whether a man may marry her whome hee adulterously abused in her husbands life time 144. Fiftly whether diversitie of religion breake marriage ibidem Sixtly what if marriage be forced 145. Seaventhly what if marriage be with one violently taken away 145. R. RAvens figured vnnaturall parents vnkinde friends and ill husbands 99. Remembring of wrong forbidden 169. Relapse into sinne 58. Repentance neglected 44. 45. it should be continuall 120. when it is true there is comfort 212. Resurrection of Christ prefigured 20 55 128. that it should be on the third day 64. Restitution 46 49. Religious vowes 219. Revelation now clearer than in the old Testament 20. Riches are to be forsaken for God 66. Righteousnesse of Christ shaddowed 125. S. SAcrifices were not meritorious by the worke done 4 22 36 38 49 178. they were shadowes of such vertues as the sacrifice of Christ shoulde woorke 4. but chiefely of the death of Christ it selfe 5. why there were many sortes of them 5 6. what things were to be sacrificed 6. why ⧠The Praeface IT is Saint Hierome his speech in one place That almost euery syllable of this Booke of Leuiticus conteyneth a mysterie A great motiue to stirre vp all God his people both to the reading of it and to a verie great obseruing of whatsoeuer we read in it We see by experience that if a man happen to finde any old and ancient Monument of some Famous man that liued many yeeres ago with any inscription of old Letters or Characters how he reioiceth at it keepeth it sheweth it to his friends and is neuer wearie of it Much more should it please vs to view and marke the ancient Figures of this Booke wherin as in pictures Iesus Christ the great King of all Kings and the eternall Sonne of almightie God was set-out and expressed to the world before he came and still most profitably noted and knowne now when hee is come Let vs therefore begin to read this heauenly Booke with comfort continue the same with constancie to the end And most gracious Father for thy deere Sonnes sake I beseech thee throw my sins out of thy sight that make me vtterly vnworthy to come nere thy word much more both to taste the sweetnes of it my selfe and to be a means that others may doe the like with mee And as it hath pleased thee to vouchsafe mee a place of teaching in thy Church with many and many mercies more to stir my heart vp to this course of doing some part of my dutie in the same so vouchsafe to giue power to my will and to enable me with thy grace that I may see and set downe obserue and note what may bee to this end namely to worke both in mine owne soule and in the hearts of thy deere Chosen knowledge and feeling of thy heauenly truth that may bee to the praise of thy vnspeakable goodnesse and our owne aeternall comfort for euermore O grant it sweet Lord grant it and be strong in weakenesse as thou hast promised to be Let no sinne of mine or of thy people that shall euer vse my poore labours hinder and hold this mercie from vs. Amen Amen The like Notes vpon euery Chapter of the Booke of Leuiticus CHAP. I. BEfore you come to the words of the Text you may consider in your minde why God should institute and appoynt such a kinde of worship as this hereafter described in this Booke séeming to be delighted with the slaughter of Cattle and liuing creatures to his seruice And the rather I wish you to thinke of this point because we read of some in old times that by reason hereof and by the commandement and approbation of warres also wherein men women and children are often slaine with great rigor and force haue condemned the holy Law of God his sacred and Diuine word as not agréeable to his Nature who is all good and not delighted with slaughter and crueltie but with louing mercie and mildnesse vnitie amitie and peace Such were the Cerdonian and Marcion Heretickes as witnesse Turtullian and Augustine Others haue fallen into this foolish and false conceite that there were two Gods one God the Father of Christ and the Authour of the new Testament the other seuere and sowre cruell and bloody the Authour of the olde Testament wherein so many commandements concerning blood by warres and by sacrifices are giuen Againe Lucian that prophane Scoffer scoffed and iested at this kind of worship by blood and death The former folly is so grosse and senselesse as in our dayes God be blessed it néedeth no confutation For we well know that euen the Scriptures of the olde Testament also Came not by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost We know the Law it selfe
the Lord in great mercie and wisedome that so his people fully busied and pleased with such varietie might haue neither cause nor leasure to looke vnto the wicked Idolatries of the Heathens according to the seuerall charges giuen them of God To beware lest they were taken in a snare to aske after their Gods saying how did these Nations serue their Gods that I may doe so likewise c. Séeing all the abhomination that God hateth they did vnto their Gods burning both their Sonnes and Daughters with fire to their Gods and the Lord would haue them doe onely what he commanded putting nothing vnto it neither taking any thing from it Secondly although Christ be but one and his Sacrifice but one yet great is the fruit and many seuerall mercies flow from him and his death vnto vs. By him our sinnes are dashed and washed out by him Gods wrath against vs is appeased by him we are adopted and taken for the Sonnes of God and Fellow-heires with him by him we are iustified and indued with the holy Ghost inabled thereby to die vnto sinne and to liue vnto righteousnesse walking in his holy Commaundements with comfort and longing for our deliuerance out of this vale of miserie That we may bee cloathed with our house which is from Heauen c. Diuers sorts of Sacrifices therefore were appointed to note by that varietie the varietie of these fruites of Christ to all beléeuers though he be but one Thirdly and lastly there were many sorts of Sacrifices that so plainely the Church might sée that these kinde of Sacrifices were not the true Sacrifices for sinnes For if any one had béen able to take away sinne the other had béen in vain added as the Epistle sayth to the Hebrews Those sacrifices which by the Law were yeerely offered could not sanctifie the commers thereunto For then would they haue ceased to haue been offered because the offerers once purged should haue had no more conscience of sinnes c. Therefore as I say the varietie and multitude of them was of purpose to shew amongst other things the insufficiencie and weakenesse of them In the second and 14. verses of this Chapter you may sée and note of what things they might offer sacrifice lawfully Namely Of Cattell Beefes and Sheepe vers 2 and of foules Turtle Doues or young Pigeons verse 14. For what God commanded that only might they lawfully doe neither adding nor diminishing Therefore detestable before God was that offering of men and children that we read of both amongst Jewes and Gentiles Of the Jewes the Psalme sayth They offred their Sonnes and Daughters vnto Diuels And againe They shed innocent blood the blood of their Sonnes and Daughters which they offred vp to the Idols of Canaan Of the Heathens read how the King of Moab in his distresse tooke his Sonne and offered him c. 2. Kings 3. 27 Happily these Heathens had it from the Patriarches that a man should come by whose Sacrifice Gods wrath should be appeased and they not vnderstanding how that should be namely by Christ founded therevpon this bloody cruelty to offer vp men and children in sacrifice Or else in their reason they framed this argument that if Sacrifices of Béefes shéepe and foules were acceptable to God much more must néeds be offerings of men But it was not so the Lord commaunding the one and abhorring the other Concerning these lawfull Sacrifices a good Note is giuen that forasmuch as God is pleased to receiue his Sacrifices of such thinges as man hath for his common meat béefe and shéepe c. Why should vile earth and ashes so hunt for delicacies to pamper vp their sinfull bodies as they doe neuer thinking any thing daintie ynough that may be gotten for the things sacrificed Ea sibi sacrificari iussit Deus quae ab Egyptijs pro Deo coluntur nempe de numero quadrupeduÌ„ Vitulum Capram Ouem é volatilibus Tuâ—turem pullos Columbarum c. vt sacrificijs destinata ne Deos putarent sedeum solum adorarent cui conuenit ista offerri Sic de immundis c. God would haue these things sacrificed vnto him which the Egyptians worshipped for Gods to wit of foure footed creatures the Calfe the Goat the Shéepe of soules the Turtle Doue young Pigeons c. that being thus appointed for sacrifice the Israelites might well know and sée that they were no Gods but that they ought to worship him onely to whom all these things were offered So of vncleane things c. If his Sacrifice be a whole burnt offering of the heard hee shall offer a Male without blemish c. Here begin the seuerall sorts and kindes of Sacrifices and first is named the burnt Offering and 3. sorts thereof One of the heard in this verse A second of the Flocke verse 10. and the third of foules verse 14. Concerning the first kinde you may obserue first in what case it was vsed and secondly with what rites and after what sort It was vsed both by the ancient Patriarkes their succéeding posteritie cheefely in the agonies of their consciences in their worldly distresses and their greatest feares to confirme their faith in God his assured assistance when and how his good pleasure should be that he would not forget them forsake them and leaue them but surely and mercifully he present with them looke vpon them and helpe them to their contentment and comfort When the Floud was ceased and Noah should enter out of the Arke to comfort his heart after such a great danger and heauy iudgement of an angry God vpon all flesh and to assure his soule of Gods gracious fauour to continue towards him for future times as it had mightily shewed it selfe for the time passed He built an Altar to the Lord and tooke of euerie cleane beast and of euerie cleane foule and offered a whole Burnt Offering vpon the Altar The Lord pleased therewith gaue him comfort accordingly and promised no more so to curse the ground againe for mans cause neither any more to smite all thinges liuing as he had done From thence forth there should be againe seede-time haruest cold and heat Summer and Winter day and night should not cease so long as the earth remayned When the Israelites endeauouring to reuenge that great wickednesse of the Beniamites to the Leuites wife and were twise fearefully ouerthrowne by the Beniamites then they went vp to the house of God and wept and fasted and offered Burnt Offerings c. When the Philistines came vp against Israel to fight with them and the Israelites were sore affraide then Samuel offered a Burnt Offering to confirme and comfort them and behold the effect the Lord thundred with great thunder vpon the Philistines and scattered them so that they were slaine before Israel When that great plague was amongst the people for Dauids sinne in numbring the people then in that griefe
of minde and woe of heart for his owne fault and the peoples death Dauid bought the threshing floore of Aranah c. And offered Burnt Offerings vnto the Lord wherevpon his comfort followed The Lord was appeased towards the Land and the plague ceased from Israel Thus might I wearie you with Examples but I will adde but one more the example of Salomon who béeing brought of God to the Kingdome of his father Dauid and wisely weighing the great charge and burthen of it as also his owne want of experience and skill to guide so great a ship troubled and perplexed in his heart betwixt a desire to doe well and a feare to light short of what he desired through his owne weakenesse got him in this agonie to his God and offered Burnt Offerings which likewise had effect to his ioy the Lord saw him and heard him and gaue him both wisedome for his charge which he onely begged and riches and honour which he begged not so that before him was neuer such a one neither after him should euer be the like Sée then as I said the vse of this kinde of Sacrifice in all feares and troubles when comfort was wished and a strong stable heart in Gods promises till the time of the same co 〈…〉 for t came without fainting or falling away Secondly after obseruation in what case the burnt Offering was vsed let vs consider the maner and circumstances of it which likewise you sée in this third Uerse c. First it must bee of the Herde or flockes if it were a beast not a wild Hart Bore Beare Woolf c. For these kinde of creatures being fierce sauage cruell and by force brought to death not otherwise could not be figures and shadowes of a méeke milde swéete and gracious Sauiour who willingly and louingly should euen lay downe his life for vs that wée by his death might be saued Secondly it was required to be a Male. The Male is stronger and perfecter than the Female and therefore fitter to shadowe and shew the strength and perfection of Christ in vanquishing sinne death druill and hell which the mightiest Monarche the earth euer had could neuer doe Thirdly it was required that it should be without blemish that is not blind not lame nor broken and so foorth as you may read Leuit. 22. ver 22. which when the Iewes obserued not sée how the Lord complaineth Malachie 1. 8. If any man thinke these bodily imperfections small things to be regarded of God it is very true but for an expresse commandement of God to stubbornely broken by dust and ashes that should obey is no small matter If we looke at the Apple eaten by our first Parents it was but an Apple a matter of small moment but when the Commandement saide no and yet they did it their fault was not small and so the punishment shewed Therefore euer in the Commandements of God we must not regard so much the thing as his Will who being our maker may command what he will and his will being euer iust holy wise and for our good if we haue grace ought to be obeyed precisely carefully and chearfully This condition of the burnt Sacrifice figured out the puritie of that Lambe that indéede had no blemish any way no guile found in his mouth but so cleane as by his cleannesse his righteousnesse béeing imputed vnto vs his Spirit dayly worketh our Sanctification and newnesse of life from sinne and vncleanesse Fourthly your Chapter saith it must be presented of voluntary will so to figure out that Christ should willingly not constrainedly giue himselfe to death for mankinde and peraduenture also to shew that God neuer liketh of constreyned seruice but will haue men doe their duties to him voluntarily as indéed is fit of the creature to the Creator euer Fiftly it must be presented at the doore of the Tabernacle God tying them to a place appointed by him and not suffering them to sacrifice where they listed themselues in euery place Deut. 12. 13. 14. as in the Margin the places are noted If this thought come in your minde why God should thus tye them to a place when as for the shadowing of Christ and confirming the faith of the Godly it seemeth rather it should haue béene lawfull euery where to sacrifice because euery where Christ is a comfort to all beléeuers and Faith in al places should receiue her appointed helpes to make strong and stable from despaire or doubt You againe may remember that there were two reasons chiefly of this Commandement The first is expressed in Leuit. Chap. 17. ver 3. c. Namely that by this meanes they might be stayed from vsing any vnlawfull maner in their Sacrifices and from following the fashions of their adioyning neighbours the Heathens which happily they might haue done if in euery place at their pleasure they might haue sacrificed The second reason was to signifie by this means that he only was the true Sacrifice for sin whom that Mercie seat there in the Tabernacle did represent which in that place where after the Temple should be built to wit in Ierusalem should offer himself for our sinnes If you aske whether by this example at this day a certaine place be requisite you may remember that euen by this example and true experience wisely our Elders haue both thought of prouided that in every Parish there should be a publike place euen a Church or Chappell whither except in case of necessitie all people of that Limyt should come to performe their duties to God publiquely after one maner not allowed at their wil euery one to haue a seuerall place lest priuate places should bréede priuate fancies errors and heresies schismes and deuisions in the Church Sixtly vpon the Burnt Offering you read here they must lay their hand euen vpon the head of it vers 4. And diuers good things were taught hereby to them that vnderstood rightly those Ceremonies then vsed For first the partie bringing that Sacrifice did by this means acknowledge that he himselfe deserued to dye but by the mercy of God he was spared and his desert laid vpon the beast for which he ought to be thankfull Secondly as that beast then was to die for him and to be offered in Sacrifice so did he beléeue Christ should come and die for him Thirdly that it is not enough to beléeue that Christ should come and die for sinne but he must put his hand vpon Christ that is lay vpon him all his iniquities by the hand of his Faith apply Christ to himselfe and beléeue that hée must die then and wée now that he hath dyed for his sinnes my sinnes your sinnes c Being the onely propitiation for sinne The Iewes put their hand vpon the workes of the Law the Heathens vpon their deuised worships Hypocrites vpon their almes fasts prayers c Making these things satiffactorie to God for them and so wronging the Lord Jesus
from his body And his head not plucked from his body to signifie he should not be taken from his Church which is his body by any death but raise himselfe vp againe and bée with his to the end of the world Thus then the Elect of God comfort themselues both in aflictions of the world and in death it selfe that forasmuch as their Head thus liueth and neuer was nor can â—e plucked of from them therefore as he hath ouercome so shall they by him ouercome both the malice of the world and the power of Satan and enter into ioy with him for euermore 4 The Maw and feathers were not offered but cast-away as vncleane so still noting that which I haue often noted the puritie of the Lord Iesus our true Sacrifice 5 The Priest did cleaue it with his wings but not deuide it in sunder againe to shadow that though Christ dyed yet hée was not quite extinguished but should rise againe and liue To which end also it was that not a bone of him was broken as were theirs that dyed with him That being also figured in the Paschall Lambe Lastly it is repeated here for a sweete fauour vnto the Lord and not in vaine but to the great comfort of all such poore offerers For thus are they assured that albeit they were not of abilitie to offer vnto him Oxen and Shéepe or sacrifices of great cost yet were they as déere to him as those that could so doe and their Sacrifice of Turtles or two Pigeons yéelded as swéete a sauour O swéete still for this God is not changed but the same for euer and therefore still euen two mites of a poore widow graciously accepted still a little spice a little Goats-haire or what my power is to bring vnto him is accepted So that I haue no cause to grieue at my pouertie if my heart be sound and therefore looke vnto that and be chéerefull in this Thus haue you viewed this Chapter And now a little with your selfe thinke of the maner of Reuelation then and now What a darke and dimme light I say again was that to this vouchsafed vnto vs now Surely so darke as the Apostle feareth not to call that Night and ours Day saying The night is gone the day is come God for his Christ his sake make vs thankefull But now that these kindes of burnt Offerings and Sacrifices are gone is there no sort left vnto vs Christians yes indéede First it is a Sacrifice to God most exceptable To preach the Gospell and it is euen as that song which Dauid speaketh of pleasing the Lord better than a yong Bullocke that hath hornes hoofes Thus S. Paul offered vp the Gentiles to God for a sacrifice winning theÌ„ by his Ministrie vnto the truth Rom. 15. verse 16. A Sacrifice so farre passing all others as man passeth all brute beasts And the faithfull Preachers of the Gospell dayly doe the like Secondly it is a Chiefe kinde of burnt Offering for Christians To beléeue in Iesus Christ by the Gospell because he that beléeueth offereth Christ dayly to God for his sinnes than the which nothing can be more pleasing to Christ and his Father Thinke of it early and thinke of it late when you are vpon your knées desiring mercie and pardon fauour and comfort both presently and to death yet laden and ouer-laden with a great burthen of gréeuous sinnes blemishes and imperfections hatefull to God and hatefull to your selfe through Grace giuen What hope haue you to spéed and preuaile but by his Sacrifice you will take Christ your déere Sauiour in the armes of your Faith and say holy Father looke vpon him not vpon me without him For then I dye in iustice but vpon me in him and then shall I liue in mercie Thus you offer Christ dayly and it is the Chiefest Sacrifice still of all beléeuers Thirdly it is another kinde of burnt Sacrifice left vs To offer-vp our selues wholly to God our selues I say our soules and bodyes a liuing holy and acceptable Sacrifice enery member to doe his Will and not ours Of which S. Paul speaketh to the Ro. Chap. 12. 1. Fourthly euery good worke commaunded of God and done of vs in Faith is a pleasing Sacrifice in this sort to God As Almes Coloss 4. To doe iustly to loue mercie and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God Mich. 6. vers 8. To offer spirituall Sacrifices sée S. Peter Lastly all our aflictions paciently indured according to the Psalme The Sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit c. Doe therefore what God willeth or suffer what he appointeth as you are taught and you offer Sacrifice dayly to God Thus let this Chapter profit you CHAP. II. FRom bloody Sacrifices now to Unbloody and because the Burnt-offering described in the former Chapter could not bée without the Meat-offering as you may sée Num. 15. 4. therefore before he procéede to other kindes of Offerings Moses describeth in this Chapter the Meat-offering laying downe thrée sorts of it The first Of raw Flesh vers 1. to the 4. The second of Flowre not raw but baked fryed sodden vers 4. to the 14. The third sort of Corne not ground to Flowre verse 14 to the end For the institution of these Meat-offerings it was not because God hath néede of any meate or smelling sauours in the Psalme he telling vs that if he be hungry he needes not shew vs c. Neither yet that the déede done might merit and turne away Gods anger For he that offereth an oblation is as if he offered Swines blood and he that remembreth incense as if he blessed an Idoll saith God by his Prophet but by these the Lord would teach to his Church and children good things concerning Christ their Sauiour and his comming good Lessons also for life and maners as by particulars will appeare First This Meat-offering of Flowre and Corne might greatly comfort them touching their labours and assure them that yearly God would blesse their Corne and their fields because it pleased him to be a partner with them in those fruites 2 The Meat-offering of flesh might draw their hearts to God in all times of their dyet teaching them that God giueth and God sanctifieth God prospereth and is the staffe both of bread and meat They are not vpon our tables by chance but by his kinde prouidence and great goodnesse and therefore to forget him were to become most vnworthy of those blessings 3 The Flowre must bee fine Flowre to signifie still vnto them the cleannesse and puritie of CHRIST in whom there was no sinne neither any guile found in his mouth Of whom is all puritie in any of his members our foulnesse being washed by his blood It taught also that our best things should be giuen to God and not our worst as our manner is 4 The Meat-offering taught that Christ is the remedie against all hunger As am I gréeued with sin and hunger for
righteousnesse Christ helpeth this hunger being made righteousnesse and wisedome and sanctification and redemption vnto vs. Am I afraid to die and hunger for comfort Christ is my helpe for this hunger and telleth me that blessed are the dead which die in him He that beleeueth in him shall not die eternally But though he be dead yet shall he liue Death is swallowed vp in victorie O Death where is thy sting O Graue where is thy victorie Thankes Thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs Victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ 5 He shall powre Oyle vpon it and put Incence thereon saith the Text Oyle delighteth the taste and Incense the smelling Neither of them careth God for we know But thus it pleased him to shadow-out vnto his people that they should euer serue him according to his owne presciption which is acceptable as a good taste or smell is and not with the vnsauourie inuentions of their owne braine as hatefull vnto him as the other is pleasing Againe the Oyle noted Christ his kindnesse and mercie which he should euer shewe to poore penitent sinners wounded and smitten with woe for their manifold frailties and sinnes He should not be rough vnto them sterne and cruell but soft as Oyle gracious and kinde swéete and comfortable ready to receiue them and pardon them Learne of mee I am meeke and lowly in heart take my yoke vpon you and you shall finde rest vnto your soules For my Yoke is easie and my burden is light Come vnto me all yee that are wearie and laden and I will ease you 6 Incense againe figured out the prayers of Christ for his Church so powerfull with God his Father that not onely he was heard himselfe but thereby he obteyned that whatsoeuer we should aske in his Name and for him we should receiue also The vaine vse of Frankincense in Popish Churches as an imitation of the Law is still to loue darkenesse when God vouch safeth light still to continue abolished Ceremonies and still to be stubborne against God with a will-worship of our owne neglecting his Will And shall bring it vnto Aarons sonnes the Priests and he shall take c. Whatsoeuer was offered to God must be giuen into the hand of the Priest still representing vnto men this Doctrine That onely by Christ there was accesse to God and no way els According to that plainer Reuelation in the Gospel by himselfe No man commeth to the father but by me I am the way And let vs therefore by him offer the Sacrifice of praise to God c. Heb. 13. verse 15. 2 A handfull of the Flowre and of the Oyle with all the Incense and the Priest shall burne it for a memoriall vpon the Altar for it is an offering made by fire for a sweet sauour vnto the Lord. Not all the Flowre but a handfull not all the Cakes but one not all was burned but onely a little part of one the rest went to the Priests and none could eate of it but the Priests It was a Memoriall to them to assure them that God did respect the partie Offering and would be mercifull vnto him And because it so pleased God it should be to him also it was a Memoriall to extend his swéete goodnesse to his penitent seruant 3 This Meat-offering you sée in your Chapter was either baked vers 4. or fryed in the Frying-panne vers 5. or sodden in the Caldron vers 7 And which way so-euer it was thrée Rules were to be obserued specified in the Text. First It must be without Leauen vers 11. In the 7. Chapter vers 13. and in the 22. Chap. verse 20. You may read of a lawfull vse of Leauen but it was neuer lawfull by the Law to offer vnto GOD for a Sacrifice any Leauened bread Leauen being a Figure both of corrupt Doctrine and bad life Beware of the Leauen of the Scribes and Pharisees that is of their corrupt Doctrine Mat. 16. And let vs keepe the feast not with old Leauen neither in the Leauen of maliciousnesse and wickednesse but with the vnleauened bread of sinceritie and truth 1. Cor. 5. 8. Leauen noted bad life Christ thē being shadowed in al these burnt Offerings by this Rule of hauing no Leauen they were taught the puritie of Christ his Doctrine and the holinesse of his life His Doctrine so pure that it maketh others pure Ye are cleane through the Word which I haue spoken vnto you And Verily verily I say vnto you if any man keepe my Word he shall not see death Then you sée it maketh cleane His life also so pure that not onely his false accusers could fasten no fault vpon him but by his innocencie he appeased Gods wrath for our impuritie Againe it taught the Church in that Legall fashion by darke figure that after Christ his example they ought also to be frée from both these to wit false doctrine and ill manes Not teaching if they be Teachers any corrupt matter not beléeuing and holding if they be no Teachers and absurd vntrueths Neither Teachers nor People leading a wicked life but in holinesse and righteousnesse as the Lord shall inable spending all their dayes The second Rule is That there he no hony in his Meat-offering made by fire vnto the Lord. Of Hony we read many things as that the nature of it is to preserue bodyes not suffering them to rot and putrifie That many by the vse of it liue vnto a great age as namely in the I le of Corsica by Plinies Testemonie who calleth them long-liuers onely by the dayly vse of Hony Hony hath a swéete and pleasing taste not sharpe Whereupon Salomon saith Faire words are as a hony combe sweetnes to the soule and health to the bones My Sonne eate Hony for it is good and the hony-combe for it is sweet vnto the mouth What might be the reason then that God did forbid any hony to be vsed in this Offering Answere is made that hony although it be swéet in taste yet it is bitter by effect For it greatly increaseth choler which is as bitter as the hony is swéet Secondly although hony be good to eate yet a man may eate too much of it Prou. 25. 26. Thirdly euen in taste it will not séeme swéete if you eate much but very bitter or sowre Lastly it hath the very nature of Leauen béeing boyled and so hauing gotten a little sharpenesse Nowe forasmuch as none of these things are in Christ who was shadowed by this Sacrifice therefore is hony forbidden to be vsed in it as you read here in your Chapter aswell as Leauen vers 11. First in Christ there is no such swéetnesse as ingendreth bitternesse or any euill to the true Cater of him by Faith Secondly Christ cannot be receiued or eaten too much but the more we féede on him the better Thirdly Christ is not swéet at the beginning and bitter at the
vncertaine as I will marrie one of the Daughters naming none Of all which points the Law hath large discourse and many questions which you may best learne of them that are Professors of that knowledge vnto whose good aduise as I said before I hold it the safest way euer to haue recourse vpon any occasion For a building well made and vpon firme ground will stand with comfort against all assaults and obiections cast out either by Satan desirous to trouble our consciences or by euill tongues enuying our peace Tenthly touching Poligamie whether it is lawfull for any man at once to haue two or more wiues The truth is plaine No. For God made but one Adam and one Eue that neither man might expect moe Wiues nor woman moe Husbans at once than one And in this first institution expresly it was said A man shall leaue father and mother and cleaue to his wife not wiues and they two not they three or more shall bee one flesh Also when Lamech brake this Lawe by hauing moe wiues and after him both Iewes and Gentiles followed this libertie Christ the true teacher calleth them to the first institution and plainely saith From the beginning it was not so repeating the former Scripture they two shall be one c. The Apostle S. Paul following this truth saith for auoyding of fornication let euery man haue his wife not wiues let euery woman haue her owne husband not husbands Againe let the husband giue to his wife due beneuolence not to his wiues And the wife hath not power of her owne body but her husband Let a Byshop be the husband of one wife not of many as then was vsed of too many still and euer vsing as you sée the singular number not the plurall Further you know that marriage representeth the couenant betwixt Christ and his Church and therefore is called a mysterie but Christ hath onely one Church and the Church hath onely one Christ therefore pluralitie of wiues or husbands is a fault and may not be indured The good peace and vnitie that ought to be in married couples is thus broken and the house filled with brawlings and heart-burnings factions diuisions and all vngodlinesse Therefore very Reason teacheth vs to abhorre Polygamie Good Gouernours mooued herewith haue euer by their imperiall and godly lawes punished it and forbidden it as might be shewed if it were fit But you will say the godly Fathers in the old Testament had many wiues God suffered it c. You must then againe consider with your selfe touching them that suffering and allowing or commanding differ much Suffered it was commaunded or allowed simply neuer Secondly latter lawes take away former and Christ by calling men to the first institution of Marriage tooke away that permission and sufferance of Moses Thirdly Priuiledges doe not ouerthrow a rule And therefore although God hauing promised to make Abrahams seede as the starres of the heauen for multitude was pleased to suffer varietie of wiues for a time as a fit meanes spéedily and greasly to increase that posteritie of-spring yet was not a taking away of his certaine rule but when the cause ceased by a multitude procéeding from Abrahams loynes the thing suffered only for that end ceased also and may net any further be followed Fourthly wee truely answere againe that we liue by lawes and not by examples And touching faultes in the Fathers wée well must remember the wordes of God to the Iewes by Ezekiel his Prophet In Praeceptis meis In my Commandements you shall walke and not in the commandements of your Fathers And againe in this Chapter After the dooings of the Land of Aegypt wherein yee dwelt shall yee not doe neither after the maner of the Land of Canaan whither I will bring you c. But after my Iudgements shall yee doe and you shall keepe My Ordinances to walke therein for I am the Lord c. Thus of marriage making kéeping Now a litle of Diuorce and seperation might be added if there were not more cause in these sinfull times to exâ—ort al married couples to mutuall loue faithfulnes to patience and quietnes to the vtter abandoning of al vaine wicked imaginations suspicions ielousies than to speake of breakings departing one from the other to the great offence of God grief of friends ill example to others euermore apt to learne what is euill than what is good I wil therfore spare this paines and rather intreat all those that feare God often to remiber yong Tobâ—e his prayer that God in mercie would grant to him his wife that they might become aged together to which she said with him Amen We read of the Indian womeÌ„ that though their husbands haue diuers wiues yet they did by al means indeauor to continue in loue with him and when he dieth she that was best beloued with great ioy and glorie that she was so goeth into the fire with his Corps and burneth with his dead bodie Such continuing affection in those that know not God must needs be a condemnation to all tickle tickle starting aside in such as know God and his commaundement in this behalfe Holy constant and continued Matrimonie is like say some to that little Citie Zoar where Lot was saued when to the Mountaine he was unwilling to goe and in filthy Sodom could not be safe To liue licentiously is to liue in Sodom to liue single hauing the gift is to escape into the mountaine Such as flying from the one cannot attaine to the other hauing not the gift giuen of God in litle Zoar that was betwirt both that is in holy wedlocke which is the middle estate may be saued Euer therefore make much of it and lightly and vniustly breake not in sunder that holy knot Sweetnesse is the Sister of Loue as bitternesse is the Sister of hatred Marriage loue then being an holy loue will in all troubles tast contentment and comfort though not one way yet another still to the preseruing of the knot and of Christian cohabitation The two Kyne that carried the Arke of God kept one path turned neither to the right hand nor to the left so should married couples doe saith S. Gregorie seeing by the profession of the Christian faith they also carry the Arke If the Glasse which you looke in should returne your countenance sad when you are merie or merrie when you are sad were it not a great fault in the Glasse Certainly so is it if married couples differ and be not merrie together sorie together contented together and either of them euer as a true glasse to the other shewing such agréement as is fit for them till God and time shall breake their dayes of and take the one of them to him The Wife of Augustus Caesar Liuia being asked of one how she did liue in such peace with her Husband the Emperour who had his infirmities some
saith S. Augustine that no place priuiledgeth thée to breake Gods Lawe but as being a sinner wheresoeuer thou goest thou carriest the yoke of sinne so being the sernant of God in all places obey his will c. 4 When they are called holy Conuocations thinke in your conscience whether gadding and riotting and wanton dauncing with such like be holy exercises and méete for a holy conuocation 5 For the Feast of the Sabbath in the Commandement it is handled and thither I referre you It had vse to preserue the Doctrine of Creation against all idle Philosophers dreames of an Eternitie To confirme Faith in the Article Maker of Heauen and earth and to refute all hereticall assertions touching the same To be a refreshing to the bodyes both of man and beast which without rest cannot indure To giue time for men to serue God who all the wéeke-long and euer doth serue them Finally to prefigure and in some sort to lay before vs our assured eternall rest in Heauen when the sixe dayes of this life shall end and that ioyfull seuenth day shall come 6 The Feast of the Passeouer or Easter you know was kéept in remembrance of their diliuerance out of Aegypt And it was a Figure to foretell them their deliuerance from sinne by the death of the true Lambe c. Sée Exod. Chap. 12. and 13. 7 The Offering of a sheafe with the Ceremonies mentioned taught them to acknowledge that the blessing of New corne euery yeare commeth neither from the fertilitie of the ground nor the labour and industry of man but from the Lord. Secondly this Feast hauing his time assigned they could not enter vpon their haruest before it was full readie which by this time it would bée vnlesse they would either reape before they offered this first sheafe or offer it before the day appoynted And so you sée it had an vse to restraine ill husbands and to make them more carefull that old corne might be gouerned to bring in new A gracious God that will so care for sinfull man Thirdly it serued to direct them to the time of Pentecost for from this day they reckoned seauen Sabbaths c. as you read verse 15. Lastly béeing but one sheafe it might strike their hearts with a fit féeling of his goodnesse that giueth so much and taketh so little that giueth without measure and taketh by measure yea by a very small measure So let it still profit vs to this day for euen now also wereceyne much and giue little would wée giue that thankefully and cherefully what a comsort would God take in it Though he néed none of our goods only séeking to exercise our obedience and loue 8 And they might not eat till they had brought an offering vnto God ver 14. Then God was first but now is last with vs yet as good to vs as euer to them and we as déepely bound to him for infinite mercies Will not our sinfull hearts in making God last and giuing him the worst one day condemne vs 9 Till they haue brought are the wordes ver 14. and note them they then brought to shew their willingnes we will bring none but thinke we deale wel if our minister may haue it for fetching c. 10 The feast of Pentecost sometimes called the feast of Weekes was a remembrance of the Law giuen and so of their receyued libertie by Gods out-stretched arme hauing now a law and gouernment of their owne when before they were subiects and seruants to the Egyptians and their lawes So still you sée these holy daies were to remember mercies to giue thankes Againe this feast figuratiuely fore-tolde them there should come a Pentecost when the first fruits of the spirit should be giuen to men fulfilled when Christ sent the holy Ghost vpon his Disciples assembled at Ierusalem at the feast of Pentecost 11 The feast of Trumpets here also appointed had many vses as first in the opinion of some Hebrue Doctors for a remembrance of the deliuerance of yong Isaac from being sa 〈…〉 ed God giuing a Ramme fast in the bushes for him Secondly in the opinion of others for a remembrance of the creation of the world which in some probabilitie was about this time Thirdly for a remembrance saith one of the pardoning of that grieuous Idolatrie committed by erecting and worshipping the golden calfe which is thought was about this time Fourthly for a remembrance that this Moneth was once the first Moneth Fiftly that they might learne holy assemblies to bee appointed by the voyce of God And if they then when they heard these Trumpets blow might thinke God called for them to the meeting why should not we now hauing our Bels for their Trumpets thinke God calleth for vs to the Church and assemblie of the faithfull when we heare them ring in our eares Surely I know a feeling heart doth and thereupon cannot bee quiet without going Sixtly that they might learne their duties to be through their whole life to follow God when and whither so euer he should cal Lastly as our marginall note saith to put them in remembrance of the many feasts in this Moneth being the fittest time in déed after all fruits and blessings gotten in to meete and praise God for them praying also for grace soberly and orderly to vse them to his glory and their owne comfort with all theirs whom God would haue also cared for children feruants poore c. I forget to tell you that one saith this feast also was a figure shewing how Christ by the preaching of the Gospel as by a loud Trumpet should be spred oner the world and our saluation by him In regard whereof Iohn was called the voice of a crier and the Prophet biddeth other criers lift vp their voyces like Trumpets c. 12 In the 27 verse the feast of Reconciliation is mentioned of which more fully before in the xvi Chapter 13 Of the feast of Tabernacles ver 34. the vse was to remember them of their estate when they had no houses but liued in Tents or Tabernacles or Boothes made with laughes no fields nor lands but liued in the wildernes and so to stirre vp a thankfulnes for their happie change Secondly to remēber them of the Lords great workes in driuing out the Cananites and giuing that fruitfull land vnto them Then they were a pray to all men but now a terror to all men wheresoeuer the same of them came Thirdly it serued to preach vnto them the doctrine afterward deliuered by the Apostle to wit that here we haue no abiding citie but should reckon of our houses as but of Tabernacles for the time our true hope being for houses and dwellings and euerlasting Tabernacles not made with hands in heauen c. And may not wee consider on our feast dayes all these things although we haue not now the same ceremonies May not we remember our state past vnder superstition crueltie
aduised by God who then spake from betwixt the Cherubims Exod. 25. and Num. 7. And in the meane time committeth him to ward The Lord answereth him and commandeth that he shall be slaine giuing a law also in general that who soeuer so offendeth shall die the whole congregation stoning him and the witnesses putting their handes vpon his head By which Ceremonie the Lord made the witnesses carefull what they said For it taught them that if they bare false witnesse then were they guiltie of the bloud â—f him so shed by their testimonie but if they spake truly then as he that offred a sacrifice by laying his hand vpon the head of it and cast his sinnes vpon the beast so they by that ceremonie laid his bloud vpon his owne head and they remained cleare and blamelesse Yea the whole Congregation by such execution of iustice as by a sacrifice is clensed and profited So that when Phineas had slaine the wicked person it is said hee turned the wrath of GOD from the land And the slaying of the wicked by the Prophets is called Victima Dei the Sacrifice of the Lord. For further vse of it you may thinke with your selfe how the father of this offender was a straunger an Egyptian and yet God would not spare him how much lesse then his owne people I meane now a Christian by father and mother brought vp in his feare baptized in his faith a hearer of his word a professer of it c. Secondly this man was angrie and in his anger hee committed this fault yet God spareth him not how then do we excuse our offences by our anger saying it was in my wrath that I said so or did so For first that anger and furie and desire of reuenge is naught then to vse God in it and to make him a partie or an executioner of your rage seeking and wishing that he may curse and plague where you will hée being all iustice all mercie all goodnesse c. O what an encrease of your sinne is this Euer therefore settle it and sinke it in your heart what it is thus to abuse God to abuse Christ his wounds his passion whereby we are saâ—ed and by his grace you shall abhorre swearing â—â—ging and ill wishing to any man and especially to seeke of him to do euill and to vse his name to that end Thirdly when the Lord will haue the whole Congregation to stone him hee taketh triall of the zeale of ALL and teacheth ALL to concurre with the Magistrate in loue and liking of iustice and in furthering of it so farre as belongeth to euerie mans place Whereas now a dayes we haue such factions such affections such corrupt humors in vs out of which iâ—ue such dislikes carpings and bad censures of Magistrates as they are grieued with iustice is hindred and God prouoked to that which will smart if he stay not Fourthly hee is carried out of the host to be slaine as a token of detestation of his sinne by which he was vnworthy not onely to liue in the Congregation but also to die in the same he was vomited or spued out that all others might see and feare Esay 14. read it Fifâ—ly by cursing of God and blaspheming of his name vnderstand not onely swearing and such euill speaking as now hath beene noted but all other vnseemely vnreuerent and wicked wordes prophane iests of him his name his word his attributes mercie iustice anger prouidence knowledge patience or such like For all these shall come into iudgement and find wrath If the law of man passe them God will neuer passe them The tongue wee haue was giuen to blesse not to curse And the name of God saith Salomon is a strong tower The iust shall runne to it and be exalted For whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued His name serueth for faith for prayer for thankes-giuing for deliuerance in danger to obtaine all good and to auoid all euill To abuse this then in our furies to our corrupt and sinfull desires O what a sinne is it and how prouoketh it God to plague vs So are his precious woundes our plaisters his blessed passion our saluation his Sacraments our comforts and seales of mercie his Scriptures our light and by no meanes to bee prophaned in earnest or iest Wee may not peruert his nature making him as much as lyeth in vs of a benefactor a malefactor of a Sauiour a killer of an helper an oppressor neither may wée abuse these holy things c. 5 The fourth and last point of this your Chapter beginneth at the 17. verse concerning the law of Taliâ— that is that looke what a man doth or intendeth to his neighbour the like should be done to him life for life breach for breach eye for eye tooth for tooth such a blemish as hee hath made in any such shall bée repayed vnto him verse 20 Of this you haue heard Exod. 21. 6 One law for the straunger as for the home-borne verse 22. which both restrayned that pride which otherwise might haue béene in the Iew and sheweth the common care of God for all men as well as for the Iew. If therefore a Iew hurt a stranger looke what hée had done that should he suffer as well as the stranger should if he had hurt the Iew. This indifferencie is a blessed vertue to be learned from our God For surely we are altogether affectionate if God guide vs not If other mens children seruants or friends hurt ours fire and sword for them but if ours hurt them no such matter al must be boulstred out or bought out or borne out and iustice may not be done Among our owne againe one must bée crucified and another not touched onâ— made a Saint another a Diuell Who so is wise will note God and his Law here and labour to follow it euer by such indifferâ—ncie as is fit for his place in Church Common-wealth or familie It comforteth the Subiect it hartneth the Child it encourageth a Seruant And the want of it doth infinite much harme to all these Finally God is pleased with it and you are graced by it your selfe it getting you loue and all good report farre and neare among as many as are to be cared for Thus much of this Chapter CHAP. XXV YOu haue heard the obseruation of certaine Dayes now will this Chapter speake of the obseruation of Yeares Namely euery seauenth yeare and euery fiftieth yeare First of the first and then of the Second Euery seauenth yeare was the Sabbath of the earth or the Rest of the Land because that yeare they might neither plowe nor sow nor dresse their Vines but take what did growe of it selfe and that must be common to all For so is the first verse to bée vnderstood That which groweth of it owne accord of thy haruest thou shalt not reape c. That is to thy priuate vse and for thy selfe alone thou shalt
not reape it or gather it but with others among others they with thée and thou with them the fruites of that yeare so springing shall be common True therefore we may say it is of the land also and earth That which lacketh mutuall rest cannot indure Whereupon among vs we haue an vse to let land rest some more some lesse according as it is in strength and goodnesse And that land that should continually beare without want sixe yeares wée would say were good land I remember the speach of one out of a good féeling to some wretched minded men that haue neuer inough Quid das tu terrae pro tot messibus mari pro tot piscibus caelo pro pluuia stellis proâ—uce c. Si nihil das inuides requiem c. What giuest thou the earth for so many haruests the sea for so many fishes the heauens for rayne the starres for their light c. If thou giuest nothing doest thou enuie a rest c. This therefore was a politicall cause of this Sabbath of the land the seuenth yeare that it might contynue and indure fruitfull Secondly it had a Ceremoniall vse thus to put them in remembrance of that sinne fall which cast vs all out of Paradise and brought men to labour and the earth to néede labour whereas if we had stood the earth should haue yéelded of it selfe fruites and profits as in some glymse they might sée by the seauenth yeare Againe it shadowed out the true Sabbath and rest in Heauen where shall bée no labour and yet no lacke but all comforts ioyes aboue the reach of our hearts now to féele or imagine Read Esay 65. Behold I create new heauens and a new earth c. Some-where also I haue read that this rest of the earth might rebuke the wicked crueltie of some Masters who haue no pittie of their seruants or cattell but euer are labouring them sorry that their bodyes be not brasse that they might neuer cease when as a gracious GOD hath pittie vpon the very earth and will haue that to haue a Sabbath and â—est 2 In this seauenth yeare it was not lawfull to require their debts For so you may read Deutro 15. But some difference of opinions men haue touching this Some say their debt was cleane lost others say no but for that yeare deferred and forborne after demaunded lawfully and payd willingly which is more likely forasmuch as these politicke Lawes of God were not ordained of God to ouer-throw Iustice but to preserue it and direct it in a commendable and fit manner among men Now it is Iustice to let euery man haue his owne Then againe the Hebrew Text in the place named Deutro 15. is Ab extremitate septimi anni facies remissionem Extremitas autem sunt initium finis From the extremitie of the seuenth yeare thou shalt make remission Now the extremitie is the beginning the end betwixt these it was not lawfull to aske a debt but before or after Because for that yeare there was no tillage to make money of but after that returning to his vse the right of the Creditor returned also and the Lord graciously requited this forbearing if hée did not with-draw his help because the seauenth yeare approached A right and true application of this may euery féeling heart make in those Cities and Townes within this Realme where it hath pleased God to lay his sore visitation of Plague and infection thereby stopping the Trade whereby euery man was inabled to get for his maintenance and the discharge of such debts as were due from him to others God forbid but mercie should bée found towards their brethren in those that looke for mercie at Gods hand to themselues When men cannot receiue they cannot pay and no dishonest meaning giuing the stop but onely the Lords hand staying Trade who will bée rigorous in such a case and say hée feareth God when the earth rested and there was no tillage to raise money by You sée the mercie of Gods Law here and is it not all one when Trade ceaseth Let your bowels then shew whose childe you are If the Image and superscription of God be vpon you surely you will shew mercie and giue some fit time to your debtor that meaneth truely Reade-ouer and often I pray you what God saith Esay 58. Verse 3. and so on and remember hée is the same God still 3 There was then an other great Sabbath yeare besides this seauenth yeare Namely euery fiftie yeare and it was called the Iubile for saith your Chapter Thou shalt number seuen Sabbaths of yeares vnto thee euen seuen times seuen yeare and the space of the seuen Sabbaths of years will bee vnto thee 49. yeares Then thou shalt cause to blow the Trumpet of the Iubile c. Upon which blowing it had his name of Iubile The Ceremonies of this yeare were diuers and great For it was a great yeare First it was vnlawfull againe in this yeare to till the ground or to require debts but a generall rest and cessation was giuen this way as in the seauenth yeare you haue heard Secondly all Israelitish seruants in this yeare were frée and Lands the profits whereof were sold returned againe to the Tribe and Familie for preseruing that Law Numb 36. Ne transferatur a tribu ad tribum that it might not bee alienated from tribe to tribe least so the tribes might haue béen confounded and the truth not so certainly haue appeared of what Tribe Christ came This yeare of Iubile kept the distinction most sure and yet had they power to sell from Iubile to Iubile as their neede required Thirdly this yeare was an excellent figure of that true Iubile and fréedome which by Iesus Christ the bodie of all shadowes should by trumpet bée proclaymed to all that truely should beléeue in him And sée the resemblaunce This Iewish Iubile was proclaymed by trumpet so should the Christian freedome bée by the trumpet of preaching the Gospell which is the most notable trumpet In this Iubile of the Iewes there were no debts demaunded and such things as grewe of themselues were common so in the Christian Iubile is fréedome proclaymed by CHRIST Satan hath no power to demaund what by sinne wée owe him to wit either soule or bodie and all the graces of CHRIST which growe of themselues that is fréely are bestowed vpon vs and common in Christ to all there béeing with him no respect of persons but all accepted that feare him and worke righteousnesse Of this fréedome speake the Scriptures comfortably euery where As by the Prophet Esay 61. The Spirit of the LORD is vpon mee c. He hath sent me to preach good tydings to the poore to binde vp the broken hearted to preach libertie to the captiues and to them that are bound the opening of the prison to preach the acceptable yeare of the Lord the day of vengeance of our God to comfort
is holy and vndefiled giuen as a good Schoolmaster to lead vs vnto Christ And euen the whole Scripture together Olde Testament and New Law and Gospell is giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teach to improue to correct to instruct in righteousnes That the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good works The other poynt may be a litle touched namely his prophanenesse that rested at this worship and thought it vnfit Wherein first let vs consider that not man deuised it and God approoued it but euen God himselfe both deuised it and accepted it For the first man Adam was taught of God and he taught his sonnes Cain and Abell otherwise in Faith could not Abell haue so worshipped Faith being by hearing and hearing by the word of God So from man to man it procéeded as the Wil of God in all generations and was vsed with the godly as the forme of dutie which God required of them and allowed And now here in your Chapter the words are thus Now the Lord called Moses and spake vnto him out of the Tabernacle of the Congregation c concerning this kinde of worship Whereupon it followeth that being his owne appointment who is wisedome it selfe iustice it selfe and all goodnes flesh and blood dust and ashes should not dare to censure it but as good although no reason thereof could appeare to his vnderstanding The singular vse of it and great fitnesse to the ende God appointed it for will after appeare in the whole Booke by noting the particular Sacrifices mentioned and commanded But in the meane time although God be not bound to giue reasons euer to vs of his Will nor we bound to search out for them but humbly and obediently to rest in his good pleasure made knowne by his Word yet if we thinke he chose this course to confound the wisedome of the wise we shall not thinke amisse For all the learned Writings and wise Lawes deuised by man to make people good could neuer worke so much to that end as this did in such as tooke the right vse of it The more therefore any despised it thought it folly the more did it ouerthrow him in his iudgement and prooue his wisedom to be starke folly 2 Yet concerning the continuance of this kinde of Worship the Lord neuer intended it should be perpetuall but onely for a time namely till that great Sacrifice figured and shadowed by all those Sacrifices should be exhibited and giuen vnto mankinde according to the Scriptures with whom all shadowes should cease and take an end And this was well knowne to such as rightly vnderstood the Scriptures albeit to some others it was not tollerable doctrine but very dangerous to be touched The Prophet Dauid vnderstood it when he said Sacrifice and Offerings thou wouldest not haue but mine eares hast thou opened Sacrifice for sinne hast thou not required then said I Loe I come The Prophet Malachie spake of it when he alleageth the Lord speaking thus I haue no pleasure in you saith the Lord God of Hostes neither will I accept an Offering at your hand For from the rising of the Sun vnto the going downe of the same my Name is great among the Gentiles and in euery place Marke this Incense shall be offered vnto my Name and a pure offering for my Name is great among the Heathen saith the Lord of Hostes Agréeable to which place are the words of Christ to the woman in the fourth of Iohn Woman beleeue me the houre commeth when ye shall neither in this Mountaine nor at Ierusalem worship the Father c. Also the Apostle Paule his words I will that the men pray euery where lifting-vp pure hands without wrath or doubting Whatsoeuer therefore you read in the Word of the perpetuitie of this kinde and forme of worship you must still take it by restraint vnto the comming of Christ and the continuance of that common wealth and policie of the Iewes not longer 3 Touching these Sacrifices and Rites we are to know and euer remember that God neuer instituted and ordeined them to be meritorious and euen by the workedone as we say to appease the wrath of God and deserue eternall life For so thought some Hypocrites in those dayes and are sharply and often rebuked for it And the Apostle telleth vs plaine The blood of Bulles and Goates cannot take away sinne c. 4 They were not appoynted to be onely Allegories of good workes and ciuill vertues and darke deliniaries of a politicall life as were the Symbols of Pythagoras or the Hieroglyphicks of the Egyptians And yet there may be a fit application of them this way For indéed they do shadow-out such vertues as the Sacrifice of Christ should worke by Faith in true beléeuers but I say they were not instituted onely for this purpose but the holy Ghost looked at higher matters in these Ceremonies namely that they might shadow-out the Lord Jesus the promised Messias and the true Sonne of God and that Sacrifice which he should make of himselfe for the Redemption of all mankinde vpon the Crosse according to the Scriptures that they should nourish and maintaine the promises hereof in mens hearts and that sauing Faith hereupon springing in him in him onely to be saued for euer For euery Sacrifice was a Sermon of this matter of his comming of his suffering of his death c. And by such visible sights the Gospell was preached concerning life by him Thus iudged S. Iohn when he sayd Behold the Lambe of God c. as if he should haue saide that Lambe that was shadowed by all the Lambes and Sacrifices of the Law Hetherto tend the words of Saint Paul to the Ephesians Christ hath loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs to be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour to God The words of S. Peter Knowing that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold from your vaine conuersation receiued by the tradition of the Fathers But with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot The words of Saint Iohn The blood of Iesus Christ clenseth vs from all sinne In the Reuelation The Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world How Surely not onely in the purpose and appointment of God but by the Sacrifices which were offered euen from the beginning For by all such his death was shadowed and he as it were slaine to the faith of man as often as any Sacrifice was offered The whole Epistle to the Hebrewes also in full manner teacheth thus much and marke the words well in the 10. Chapter The Law had the shadow of good things to come not the verie image of the things 5 For the varietie of them there were many sorts of sacrifices and yet but one Christ to be signified by them all This did